The Arizona House of Representatives closed its public viewing gallery before a vote on a measure that would put the Secure the Border Act on the November ballot. 

Following disruptions in the Arizona Senate, the Arizona House chose not to allow the public to view the voting session. The Arizona House is set to vote on a ballot measure that would make it a state crime to enter the United States illegally.

“Security and I recommended that we keep the gallery closed while we still allow the public to observe proceedings live from the first-floor hearing rooms or via Capitol TV,” said House Speaker Pro Tempore Travis Grantham, a Republican, on the Arizona House floor ahead of the vote. 

Grantham said some people had “advertised their promise” to “disrupt House proceedings,” which resulted in him speaking with security about closing the gallery, although he noted he did not make that decision but believed it was the right one. 

“It’s disappointing to me that it’s come to this. What we saw in the Senate two weeks ago was inexcusable,” Grantham said. 

Before the vote was taken in the Senate, some immigrant rights supporters yelled at the senators from the gallery, “Stop the hate, stop the hate,” according to ABC 15 News. They interrupted the debate, calling supporters of the bill racists before they were escorted out of the room.

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State Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat, made a motion to open the gallery but was blocked by Republicans.

The Arizona Senate voted 16-13 in favor of the measure along party lines. If passed in the House, a ballot measure would ask voters to make it a state crime to enter Arizona through Mexico at any location that is not an official point of entry.