Voter rights are the cornerstone of democracy. The IEJ fights to protect access to voting, the right to make laws through initiatives, and the right of Arizonans to challenge legislation through referendums. Democracy only works if citizens are empowered to exercise their rights to bring about change by participation in the lawmaking process. The IEJ is committed to protecting those rights.

Laws should apply equally to everyone, yet individuals and communities are often diminished or marginalized because of disparate treatment due to inequitable or unjust laws. For all Arizonans to be truly equal, education, health care and criminal justice must be equitably derived and applied. The Institute for Equity and Justice fights for equity in new laws and fair application of existing laws.

Arizonans are guaranteed an educational system that is open to all. For over a decade the Arizona legislature has devalued and underfunded our constitutionally protected schools. The IEJ is committed to working toward an Arizona where all students get access to high quality education and where educators are fairly compensated for their skill and commitment.

Arizona’s future depends on protecting our natural resources. Mismanagement, overuse, and unmitigated drought have created uncertainty for Arizona residents. Working with experts, the IEJ helps develop policy based on science and data to promote conservation and expand clean energy.

Elected officials should be acknowledged for the laws they pass, and held accountable for laws that cause harm or cost tax payer dollars to defend. The IEJ works to trace laws back to the elected officials that passed them and to create policy to prevent unjust enrichment based on insider information.

Trust in the government is centered on the ethical behavior of elected officials. However, elected officials currently operate without ethical standards and have few conflict of interest disclosure requirements. The IEJ seeks to set standards for ethical behavior and promote laws that hold all elected officials to a verifiable standard.