An Arizona judge ruled against an initiative to raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 an hour on Aug. 8, just hours after backers, Raise the Wage AZ, announced they would abandon their effort to send this issue to voters. This decision would avoid a lawsuit from the Arizona Restaurant Association, who claimed the petition lacked sufficient valid signatures.

Despite Raise the Wage AZ filing over 350,000 signatures – nearly 100,000 more than were required – they anticipated that many would be disqualified, leaving them short of the total needed. After legal discussions revealed concerns over signature validity and high litigation costs, the campaign deemed their efforts to be impractical.

Looking ahead, Raise the Wage AZ plans to push for a minimum wage increase through state legislation in 2025, with potential support from Democratic Rep. Mariana Sandoval. Meanwhile, the Arizona Restaurant Association is backing Proposition 138, which would allow tipped workers to be paid 25 percent less than the minimum wage.