SACRAMENTO—Top Democratic state leaders unveiled on Monday a compromise version of a health care plan that would cover most Californians.

“I think the leaves are turning and so is the health care debate,” said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) at a press conference. “Today what we are announcing is a health care reform plan that is more comprehensive in scope and, we believe, more palatable to voters.”

The plan would mandate all Californians obtain health insurance but exempt those who cannot afford it; at the same time ensuring that low-earners and those near the poverty line would have few premiums, co-payments or deductibles.

While the new plan demands less of employers and increases the number of residents covered by the plan—backing down on two issues that led to the governor’s veto of an earlier Democratic health care bill this year—its funding still hinges on a controversial tobacco tax increase of $2 per pack.

“I am optimistic that a deal can be reached to provide almost all Californians with quality health care, but time is of the essence,” speaker Nunez said in a press release.

In an effort to get a vote on the bill before the end of the year, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has convened the first extraordinary legislative session of 2007-08. Of the 18 assembly members appointed by Nunez, 13 are democrats, including Fiona Ma of San Francisco.

The proposal, which would cost about $14 billion, would require a separate bill to finance it.

As has been its custom, the governor’s office would not comment on unresolved legislative action.