Defend Colorado Now suffered a big defeat today when the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that its proposed consitutional amendment denying most public benefits to undocumented residents is defective and won't be allowed on the November ballot. The Colorado Constitution requires that initiatives pertain to a single subject.

The proposed constitutional amendment, promoted by Defend Colorado Now, contains at least two unrelated subjects, the court said in a unanimous opinion. It would decrease public spending for the welfare of illegal immigrants in Colorado and would restrict access to administrative services, the ruling said.

Defend Now says it will rewrite the measure and start the signature collection process over again. You can read the text of the measure here. The Supreme Court's decision is here.