Changes Made in Tobacco Tax/Stem Cell Proposed Ballot Measure

The proposed tobacco tax initiative that could provide roughly $200 million a year to the California stem cell agency has been revised by its backers, although the changes initially appear not to affect the potential cash for the research effort.

Backers of the effort reported the changes today after the original version of the proposal dropped off the state attorney general's Web site this week, its first stop on the way to qualifying for the ballot.

In response to a query from the California Stem Cell Report, attorney Phil Kohn of the Rutan & Tucker law firm of Costa Mesa said the measure had been altered and was being resubmitted. We asked him to indicate the nature of the changes and their location in the document. He replied,

"There is a language change in Section 3(a) of the 'Purpose and intent' portion.  In addition, the following sections of the Act were modified (in minor part):  130161, subdivisions (e)(1), (e)(2) and (e)(3); 130163, subdivision (d)(2); 130164, subdivisions (c)(2) and new (c)(4); and 130165, subdivisions (b)(2) and new (b)(4)."

He also said that the Frank Barbaro of Santa Ana, the man responsible for the initiative, is a litigation lawyer and is currently deeply involved in a trial matter. He said Barbaro, who is also the former chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party, will elaborate on the initiative once he is free of his pressing professional obligations.

Here is the initial version of the ballot measure.

  Tobacco Tax Stem Cell Initiative Version 1 -- 2014

Here is the latest version of the ballot measure as provided by Kohn.

  Tobacco Tax Stem Cell Initiative Version 2  --2014