California Healthline
This week, a coalition of medical marijuana advocates hopes to begin a drive to gather about 500,000 signatures required for placing a proposal on the November ballot that would establish a state-administrated enforcement bureau to oversee entities that grow, distribute and test medical marijuana products. The initiative must be reviewed and approved by the state attorney general and secretary of state before the group can collect signatures.
On Wednesday, Don Perata (D) — Oakland mayoral candidate and former Senate President Pro Tempore — and other supporters of a proposed tobacco tax measure said they have submitted more than enough petition signatures to put the measure on the 2012 ballot, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The initiative — called the California Cancer Research Act — would increase California’s cigarette tax by $1 per pack to raise funds for cancer research (Richman, San Jose Mercury News, 6/30).
California lawmakers are warning that the state’s budget deficit could exceed $15billion if several budget related ballot measures fail at an upcoming special election. Six measures that include tax increases and spending cuts are going before voters in a May 19 special election.