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State Ballot Issues Nov. 6

Voters on November 6 will make decisions on 174 statewide ballot questions in 38 states. Here is a rundown of those worth watching Tuesday night:

Alabama

-- Amendment 6: Prohibit individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in Obamacare.

Arkansas

-- Issue 5: Legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes.

-- Issue 1: Impose 1/2 cent sales tax for highway construction.

Supported by state Chamber.

California

-- Prop. 30: Increase personal income tax on those making more than $250,000 and impose a 1/4 cent sales tax. Sponsored by Gov. Jerry Brown.

-- Prop. 31: Government reform package to (a) establish a two-year state budget, (b) require bills before the Legislature be made public three days prior to a vote, and (c) allow the governor to make "emergency" spending cuts if the Legislature fails to act.

-- Prop. 32: Prohibit collecting voluntary union dues through payroll deductions for political purposes.

-- Prop. 34: Abolish capital punishment in California.

-- Prop. 37: Require genetically modified foods to be labeled as "genetically engineered."

-- Prop. 38: Raise income taxes with 60% of revenue dedicated to K-12 education, 30% to debt reduction, and 15% to early childhood programs. Opposed by Gov. Brown.

Colorado

-- Amendment 64: Legalize and regulate marijuana for those over 21.

Florida

-- Amendment 1: Prohibit individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in Obamacare.

-- Amendment 3: Cap amount of revenue state government can spend from taxes and fees, using a formula based on inflation and population growth.

-- Amendment 6: Prohibit the use of public funds for abortions, except for rape, incest, and mother's life in danger.

Idaho

-- Props 1, 2, 3: School reform package includes phase out teacher tenure, merit pay, limit collective-bargaining rights for teachers' unions.

Illinois

-- Amendment 49: Require a three-fifths majority vote of each chamber of the General Assembly or the governing body of a unit of local government, school district, or pension or retirement system, to increase a public pension benefit.

Maine

-- Question 1: Allow same-sex couples to marry.

Maryland

-- Question 4: Allow people in the state--including undocumented illegal immigrants--to pay in-state tuition.

-- Question 5: Uphold congressional redistricting.

-- Question 6: Allow same-sex couples to marry.

-- Question 7: Expand gambling in Maryland.

Massachusetts

-- Question 2. Allow terminally ill patients the right to get drugs from a physician to end their life.

-- Question 3: Legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

Michigan

-- Proposal 2: Grant public and private employees the constitutional right to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions.

--Proposal 3: Require utilities to obtain 25% of the electricity they sell from renewable sources (wind, solar, biomass and hydropower) by 2025

-- Proposal 5: Require a 2/3 legislative majority, or a statewide vote of the people at a November election, to raise taxes.

Minnesota

-- Amendment 1: Define marriage as a union of one man and one woman.

-- Amendment 2: Require photo identification to vote.

Missouri

-- Prop. B: Increase cigarette tax from 17 to 90 cents per pack.

Montana

-- Initiative 122: Prohibits federal and state government from requiring the purchase of health insurance.

-- Initiative 124: Keep or reject law that replaced a 2004 medical marijuana law with a more restrictive version.

New Hampshire

-- Constitutional Amendment 2: Prohibits a personal income tax.

Oregon

-- Measure 80: Allows cultivation and sale of marijuana to adults.

-- Measure 84: Phases out estate and inheritance taxes.

Washington

-- Measure 74: Legalize same-sex marriage.

-- Initiative 502: Legalize marijuana for those 21 and older.

-- Measure 1185: Reaffirming law that requires a 2/3 legislative vote to raise taxes, or receive voter approval, and that new or increased fees require majority legislative approval.

Wyoming

-- Amendment A: Gives citizens the right to make health care decisions and allows the state to act to "preserve these rights from undue government influence.

Prepared by Ron Faucheux, President, CLARUS RESEARCH GROUP