[JURIST] A California public interest group filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to invalidate the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) [official website], the $3 billion stem cell research funding institution authorized by California voters last November. The suit filed by Californians for Public Accountability and Ethical Science alleges that provisions in Proposition 71 [CA AG summary] that exempt CIRM members from government conflict-of-interest laws are illegal. The suit also challenges the ballot language of Proposition 71, alleging a violation of a California election law that requires each proposition to address a single subject. The lawsuit was filed directly with the California Supreme Court [official website] due to the issue's urgency. CIRM is scheduled to begin awarding research grants in May. AP has more.