/ Modified feb 4, 2020 10:24 a.m.

Group pushing title loan interest cap pulls plug on effort

The group says it won't move ahead due to a state law making it easier to challenge petitions.

Title loan storefront A storefront window advertising auto title loans in Tucson, July 2019.
Nick O'Gara/AZPM

A group is pulling the plug on an effort to place a citizens initiative on the November ballot capping interest rates for auto title loans at 36%.

Arizonans for Fair Lending said Monday that a state law making it easier to challenge petitions has made it impossible to move ahead with their effort.

At issue is a 2014 law that allows opponents of an initiative to subpoena paid petition circulators to appear in court. If a petition-gatherer fails to show up, all the signatures they collected are thrown out whether they are valid or not. That has led opponents to call circulators into court en masse to challenge their petitions.

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