Farm animal protection measure wins

* Two measures offering a boost to renewable energy appeared headed toward defeat.

Proposition 7, would have required public and private utilities to obtain at least 20% of the electricity from renewable sources by 2010 and 50% by 2025.

Opposition came not only from big energy providers such as Edison International and PG&E, but also from the Natural Resources Defense Council, with leaders saying the measure had loopholes that could stall development of green power.

Proposition 10, which proposed $5 billion in rebates for buyers of alternative-fuel vehicles, was also well behind. Among the big backers was Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, a major player in the natural gas and wind energy industries, which could be prime beneficiaries. He and other proponents said the measure would reduce the state's dependence on foreign oil, help clean the air and create thousands of green technology jobs. Opponents called the measure a boondoggle that would mostly benefit natural-gas companies.

* The vote remained neck and neck on Proposition 3, which would authorize $980 million in bonds to fund construction, refurnishing, expansion and new equipment for more than a dozen children's hospitals operated by the University of California and nonprofit organizations.

* Proposition 12, which would authorize $900 million in bonds to provide low-cost loans to California military veterans, was the only bond measure enjoying a big lead.

Mortgage payments by veterans would repay the cost of the bonds.

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eric.bailey@latimes.com