HEALTH CARE, MARIJUANA PROPOSALS MAY BE ON BALLOT

LANSING (AP) --Michigan's November 2008 ballot could become a bit
more crowded, possibly including proposals to provide universal
health care coverage and allow marijuana use for medical purposes.

Those proposals, among others, took procedural steps forward
Wednesday with action by a state elections panel.

Other possible petition drives in the works would create a part-time
Legislature in Michigan and require a statewide vote to raise certain
taxes, a proposal that also could repeal tax increases put in place this year.

Most of the proposals are in preliminary stages. In most cases,
organizers still have to collect the more than 380,000 valid
signatures required to put proposals to change the state constitution
before voters.

The most advanced proposal is backed by the Coalition for
Compassionate Care, which wants to follow the lead of a dozen other
states and legalize marijuana for medical purposes. The group has
submitted an estimated 496,000 signatures to state elections officials.

The Board of State Canvassers will establish an exact deadline to
challenge those signatures once elections officials finish reviewing
a sample of the petitions early next year. If 304,101 signatures are
valid, the proposal would first go the Legislature. If lawmakers
don't approve it, the proposal would go to voters.

The initiative would allow qualified, seriously ill patients to use
and grow a limited amount of marijuana for medical purposes upon the
recommendation of a doctor.

Another proposal would require the Legislature to pass laws to ensure
that every Michigan citizen has affordable and comprehensive health
care coverage. The still-growing coalition, called Health Care for
Michigan, includes the AARP.

Steve Gools, the AARP's director in Michigan, said the measure could
prompt the Legislature to move on health care reform.