States To Vote on Several Health-Related Ballot Initiatives in November

Residents of several states on Nov. 2 will vote on ballot issues that deal with a variety of health care issues, such as funding for embryonic stem cell research and medical malpractice reform, the Wall Street Journal reports (Rayburn, Wall Street Journal, 10/25). Several of the ballot initiatives involve "a number of major issues addressed but left unsettled by Congress," CQ Today reports. Health-related ballot initiatives address the following topics:

Employer-sponsored health insurance: A ballot measure in California will allow residents to vote to uphold or reject a new state law that will require certain employers to provide health insurance to workers or pay into a fund that would do so.

Stem cell research: California voters will consider a measure that would authorize a $3 million bond issue to fund human embryonic stem cell research through grants and loans and create a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CQ Today, 10/22). Californians would invest nearly 10 times as much money as President Bush has proposed for other stem cell research programs, making it the first time voters can decide whether to invest in a specific type of research (Connolly, Washington Post, 10/25).

This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.