Proposition · every Arizona voter

Proposition 317Declare drug cartels terrorist organizations and direct Arizona Homeland Security to act

Law referred by the Legislature: Proposition 317, referred to voters by the Legislature as HCR 2055 (2025). Passes with a majority of the votes cast on it, and takes effect when the Governor proclaims the result (Arizona Constitution, Article IV, Part 1, Section 1 ). The separate 60% rule is for measures that approve a tax, which this proposal does not do.

INCOMPLETE. Still open on this page: (1) The official ballot wording below is copied word for word from the Secretary of State's ballot language, but the YES and NO lines and the summary above it are ours, from the Legislative Council analysis and the pamphlet arguments read through a summary tool, which paraphrases. (2) Passing vote and later changes are now sourced: majority of the votes cast (Arizona Constitution, Article IV, Part 1, Section 1) and the Proposition 105 notice in the 2026 Publicity Pamphlet, which says changes to a voter-approved law must further its purpose and need three-fourths of each chamber, or another vote of the people. (3) The "Today" column is our reading of the official "no" statement ("keeps the current law"), not checked against the current statutes. (4) Cost to the state: no cost estimate found. (5) The reasons for and against are the named arguments printed in the pamphlet; statistics inside them are the writers' claims and we have not checked them. No claim check has been done. (6) Campaign committees and campaign money were not looked up. (7) We did not read the full text of the measure.

Official ballot language (PDF): Secretary of State ballot language (PDF)

In plain words

This adds a new section (41-4256) to Arizona law. It declares that drug cartels are terrorist organizations. A "drug cartel" is an ongoing formal or informal group of people who take part in human smuggling, drug trafficking for profit, or any act of terrorism as Arizona law defines it. It tells the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to use all lawful means within its authority to deal with the threats cartels pose. It also says it does not support an alien's claim for asylum under federal law. (azleg.gov (Arizona Legislature) )

Before and after

Question	Today (our reading of the official NO statement)	If YES wins
Drug cartels in Arizona law	Current laws on terrorism stay	Declared terrorist organizations
Arizona Department of Homeland Security	Current laws stay	Directed to use all lawful means within its authority against cartel threats
Asylum claims	Not applicable	The measure says it does not support an alien's asylum claim under federal law

From the ballot language, the Legislative Council analysis and the pamphlet: see (azleg.gov (Arizona Legislature) )

Biggest change

State law would declare drug cartels to be terrorist organizations. source: azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
The Arizona Department of Homeland Security would be directed to use all lawful means within its authority against cartel threats. source: azleg.gov (Arizona Legislature)

Who it affects most: The Arizona Department of Homeland Security, and people suspected of belonging to a group that fits the definition of a cartel.

Cost to the state: Unknown. The Legislative Council analysis text we read has no fiscal section.

Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.

What your vote means

YES

State law would declare drug cartels terrorist organizations and direct the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do everything in its authority about the threat.

Nothing changes: current laws on terrorism and the Department of Homeland Security stay.

Our one-line summary of the official YES and NO statements in the Secretary of State's ballot language; the official statements, word for word, are under "Official ballot wording" below.

Why people want it, and why others object

Why this is on the ballot

The Legislature put this on the ballot.

The bill is House Concurrent Resolution 2055 (2025). It adds section 41-4256 to the Arizona Revised Statutes. source: azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)
The pamphlet's Proposition 105 notice says changes to a voter-approved law must further its purpose and need three-fourths of each chamber, or another vote of the people. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

Why supporters want it

George Khalaf (the only argument for): securing the border and holding criminals accountable are key to public safety, especially for families with children; he says the measure labels cartels terrorist organizations and requires the Department of Homeland Security to act. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

Why opponents object

Timothy Everhard, Arizonans for Freedom (the only argument against): he calls it symbolic legislation, says the governor vetoed a similar bill, and objects to using ballot space on it. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

Who backs each side

Only one argument is printed on each side (George Khalaf for; Arizonans for Freedom against). Campaign committees and campaign money for this proposition were not looked up (INCOMPLETE). source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State)

In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.

What you will see on your ballot

Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)

The official ballot title, word for word from the Secretary of State's ballot language file .

REFERRED TO THE PEOPLE BY THE LEGISLATURE RELATING TO THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
OFFICIAL TITLE
AMENDING TITLE 41, CHAPTER 41, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 41-4256.
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE
DECLARES THAT DRUG CARTELS ARE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS; DIRECTS THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO DO EVERYTHING IN ITS AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS DRUG CARTELS.

A “yes” vote shall have the effect of: (1) declaring drug cartels as terrorist organizations and directing the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do everything in its authority to address threats posed by drug cartels; (2) defining “drug cartel” to mean an ongoing formal or informal association of persons engaged in human smuggling, drug trafficking, or any act defined as terrorism under Arizona law; and (3) clarifying that this measure does not support an alien’s asylum claim.
A “no” vote shall have the effect of maintaining the current laws relating to terrorism and the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.

Copied word for word from the Secretary of State's ballot language PDF (2026-Ballot-Language-English-2026-0819.pdf), page 5. The Secretary of State's file has no separate question line; it prints the official title, the descriptive title, and a YES statement and a NO statement, shown here in that order.

Latest news

Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.

No articles collected yet for this measure.

Full text of the measure

The Secretary of State's ballot language file prints the descriptive title and the YES and NO statements. The full text of the resolution is on the Legislature's website (azleg.gov, HCR 2055, 2025 session); we have not read it. Read it in the Secretary of State ballot language (PDF) .

We link to analysis from several sources; we don't endorse it.