Special sessions ordered

Schwarzenegger reiterated that he wants the Legislature to approve everything but the funding for a health care agreement and ask voters next year to approve various funding sources to pay for the plan. To be approved in the Legislature alone, most fees would require support from Republican legislators, who have opposed any such new charges on businesses, hospitals or doctors.

"I think that if you talk about the funding mechanism, (the ballot) is the only way, except unless someone comes up with some miracle answer," Schwarzenegger said. "But I mean so far the only way we can create the funding mechanism is by doing that part and taking it to the people."

The governor has promised to veto Assembly Bill 8 by Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, which would pay for health coverage by requiring that employers spend 7.5 percent of payroll on care for their workers. But Núñez said he still believes an employer fee should be included in the legislative portion of the health care plan, not a ballot initiative.

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