Arizona Constitution Practice Test

The Legislature may request a special session if?

1. at least 2/3 of the members of each house sign a petition

2. if the Governor agrees to call one

3. a petition containing at least 50 signatures is filed with the Secretary of State

4. at least 3/4 of the members agree

The correct answer is: at least 2/3 of the members of each house sign a petition

The correct answer is that the Legislature may request a special session if at least two-thirds of the members of each house sign a petition. This requirement ensures that a significant majority of the Legislature is in favor of convening a special session, reflecting a collective need for urgent legislative action outside the regular session times. Such a high threshold promotes stability and prevents frequent or frivolous calls for special sessions, thus maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the legislative process. In contrast, while a scenario where the Governor agrees to call a special session is valid, it does not address the question of how the Legislature itself can initiate such a session. The idea of a minimal number of signatures required from a petition, like 50, does not align with the broader consensus needed to impact legislative actions, and calling for action based on simply a majority (like three-fourths) does not match the stipulated two-thirds requirement for a more substantial and representative action.