Group challenges Ohio health-care ballot measure

COLUMBUS (AP) — A liberal policy group is mounting a legal challenge against an effort that seeks to have voters decide whether Ohio should be exempt from portions of the national health-care overhaul.

ProgressOhio is challenging signatures collected by tea party organizations and other groups who want a constitutional amendment that would allow the exemptions.

Ohio’s election chief last week certified that the groups had collected 427,000 valid signatures — well over the roughly 385,000 needed to get the amendment on the November ballot.

ProgressOhio Executive Director Brian Rothenberg says about 69,000 of the signatures are invalid, leaving the measure’s supporters short of what they need.

The Ohio Supreme Court will decide the case. If the challenge is successful, the measure’s proponents will have 10 days to collect more signatures.