BallotPedia

I just discovered BallotPedia.org: a comprehensive site, from those Wikipedia people, devoted to legislation. Here is the link for the recent ballot measures (both the ones that passed and didn't) in the 2008 election:

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/2008_ballot_measure_election_results

While some are boring and mundane, some are kind of interesting (Massachusetts is eliminating greyhound racing for money by 2010) and some are news-breaking (like the ones prohibiting same-sex marriage in three states, especially notable in CA since that state just said it was legal months ago and now it's not, prompting many to protest).
The ones in the latter category include Michigan's decision to allow the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill patients (it's the 13th state to legalize it). Before he was ousted, Gov. Spitzer said he wanted it legalized for medical purposes in NY (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/nyregion/14pot.html) but it has not happened so far.

Another medical-related and newsworthy measure passed is also in Michigan, called the Stem Cell Initiative. It allows researchers to use embryos from fertility clinics that would otherwise be discarded for stem cell research, and also allows government funding of stem cell research. The idea is to use these stem cells to eventually cure such illnesses as Type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, and ALS. Some opponents believe it allow unregulated and unrestricted experimentation on human embryos, and some opponents support stem cells taken from adults or umbilical cords but oppose the destruction of embryos.

And lastly, another measure that was passed, this time in Washington, is known as the Assisted Suicide initiative because it allows mentally competent but terminally ill adults -- with less than 6 months to live -- the right to request and then self-administer a lethal overdose of medicine. It is the second state to make this legal (Oregon has a similar law). It prohibits euthanasia, which is different from assisted suicide. If someone other than the patient performs the last act that intentionally causes a patient's death, euthanasia has occurred (e.g., giving a lethal injection). If the patient who dies performs the last act that causes death, like swallowing the overdose of drugs that was provided by a doctor for causing death, then assisted suicide occurred.

On a different note, here's another site from those clever Wikipedia people called JudgePedia.org, about judges and courts. I think it may be useful when I'm writing legal articles, at least as background information.
http://judgepedia.org/index.php/Main_Page