As of May 12th, there are updates to proposed ballot initiatives.

1296. (07-0064) Marijuana. Repeal of Criminal and Civil Penalties. Release From Jail. Statute. FAILED to Qualify.

Initiatives and Referenda in Circulation
as of May 12, 2008 1341. (08-0009)
Marijuana Legalization. Individual Rights. Constitutional Amendment.
Summary Date: 04/08/08 Circulation Deadline: 09/05/08 Signatures Required: 694,354
[align=left]Proponent: Christopher Springer
Amends constitution to legalize marijuana and hemp within California and to provide for broad individual constitutional rights, including rights to food, shelter, medical care, and to be free from ā??unreasonableā? taxation. Allows marijuana to be sold in any store that sells alcohol. Establishes local boards with expansive powers, including powers to regulate and tax marijuana. Requires marijuana tax revenues support specified programs. Exempts marijuana sales profits from income tax. Forbids most testing for marijuana used outside the workplace. Prohibits most marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco advertisements. Immunizes marijuana growers and sellers from liability. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments, which would no longer incur the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Potential costs of up to the tens of millions of dollars to state and local governments to fund the one-time start-up costs of the local boards. A potentially significant increase in state and local spending on substance abuse treatment services that could possibly be partially or fully offset by revenues from this measure. Potential increased revenues in the tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars annually from marijuana stamps and licenses to support specified programs and the local boards. Unknown but potentially significant increase in state and local revenues from collection of sales and use taxes on the sale of Marijuana. Unknown but potentially significant decrease in state and local revenues from taxes on tobacco and alcohol due to a prohibition of advertising for these goods that would likely result in a decline in sales. (Initiative 08-0009.) (Full Text)

So there you have it. It looks like there is still some "activity", but who knows what will come of it. I am dissapointed to say the least with the other initiative that did nothing and went no where. Even with the backing of "psuedo celebs in the cannabis world (Jack Herer, Charles E. Lepp, George Clayton Johnson, Phyllis Vonderscher, Ronnie Lee Smith, Michael S. Jolson and Seeva Marie Cherms)". These are the people that are "the leaders of the movement" but they failed miserably. WTF is going on, WTF happened. They had to have known pretty damn early on that was going to be the result. That tells me they must have had some kind of idea at what was happening the whole time they were trying to "raise money". This other initiative just has one persons name on it. It's still alive for now, so we'll see what happens I guess. Why wouldn't any of those people that endorsed the other initiative, be endorsing the one that is still alive? Bull shit politics and I am ye of little faith for the people that are proclaiming that they are the leaders of the "movement". Just my stupid opinion though.
I wonder how much money was raised for that bill? I distinctly get the impression that the current "movement" is really all about donations donations donations. It seems like their is a nice business within cannabis activism, and it's ironic that if it were legal, many of the "activists" that are collecting money to pursue "great political progress" would lose some income. This is a rant but really, what was the effort? Nill. So WTF happened. I just want some answers. Hard to believe that no one is even intrested. I am frustrated and apologize to those whome this post may have offended. This was just an innocent little rant. [/align]