COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Opponents of the new federal health care overhaul are one step closer to having voters in the political bellwether of Ohio decide whether the state constitution should be amended to keep people from being required to buy health insurance or face penalties.

Supporters of the amendment on Wednesday filed more than 546,000 signatures with Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. They need roughly 385,000 valid signatures for the amendment question to get on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The amendment's backers acknowledge that approval of the measure won't automatically exempt the state from the mandate in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. But they say they hope to use the amendment to legally challenge the law.

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