MONTANA APPROVES MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Californians voted Tuesday to spend $3 billion on stem cell research,
putting the state on the cutting edge of a field questioned by
conservatives and the Bush administration.

Arizonans approved a crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Elsewhere, Montana became the 10th state to legalize marijuana for medical
purposes, and Oklahoma voters approved a state lottery, leaving only nine
states without one.

Backers of California's Proposition 71, which will support human embryonic
stem cell research, said the measure was needed because the Bush
administration has restricted funding to about $25 million a year. The
campaign became a battle of Hollywood stars after actor-turned-governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger broke Republican ranks to line up in support with
late "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve and "Family Ties" actor Michael J. Fox.

The Arizona immigration initiative - the first of its kind in the nation -
was touted by supporters as a way to curtail fraud by requiring people to
produce proof of immigration status when obtaining certain government
services. It would punish state workers who looked the other way.

"People understand at a gut level that we've got a problem with illegal
immigration and we've got to address it," said Randy Pullen, a leading
supporter of Proposition 200.

Arizona is the busiest illegal entry point on the U.S.-Mexico border, and
spends millions annually to provide food stamps, welfare and other social
services to illegal immigrants.

Floridians voted to raise the state's minimum wage to $6.15 an hour, a
dollar higher than the federal minimum wage.

Florida voters also approved a measure limiting the privacy rights of girls
seeking abortions, meaning the Legislature can now pass a law requiring
parents to be notified. Lawmakers had been stymied in efforts to pass such
a law by court rulings that say they violated the privacy provision of the
state constitution.

Many of the most noteworthy ballot items were in Western states, including
a potentially history-making proposal to legalize marijuana in Alaska.
Federal drug czar John Walters denounced the measure; supporters defended
it as a sensible alternative to existing drug policies.

In Oregon, voters rejected a measure that would have dramatically expanded
its existing medical marijuana program.

Colorado defeated a measure would have allocated its electoral votes
proportionally, based on the popular vote for president and would have
applied to this year's race between President Bush and John Kerry.

Voters in Maine and South Dakota both declined opportunities to lower
taxes. South Dakotans defeated a bid to scrap the sales tax on groceries,
while a measure to cap property taxes lost in Maine after opponents said it
would force layoffs of teachers and firefighters.

Voters in Colorado, Oklahoma and Montana approved hikes in tobacco taxes,
with most of the new revenue earmarked for health care.