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Arizona' petition gathering firm accused of illegal bonuses

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PHOENIX (AP) — State prosecutors have indicted Arizona's largest petition gathering firm, alleging the company commissioned by the Proposition 208 campaign illegally gave bonuses to gatherers based on the number of signatures collected.

The indictment alleges AZ Petition Partners awarded at least 50 bonuses that ranged from $20 to $1,200.

The Arizona Attorney General's Office said Monday that a state law enacted in 2017 made it illegal to pay gatherers per signature they collected.

Each of the 50 misdemeanor charges carries a large fine if Petition Partners is found guilty.

A spokesperson for Petition Partners says the allegation of illegal bonuses is false.

AZ Petition Partners is a separate entity from Invest in Education, the committee that backed the ballot initiative.