State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, revived a multi-billion-dollar bond measure intended to counteract federal funding cuts to scientific research, which missed the June deadline for placement on the November statewide ballot.
During a Friday press conference, Wiener announced that Senate Bill 895 — initially
The measure was reintroduced just before the conclusion of this week's legislative session following an agreement reached between the governor and legislative leadership on the scaled-back proposal.
The bill must pass the legislature by the close of session Monday and receive the governor's signature, an outcome about which Wiener is "cautiously optimistic."
If Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the bill it would go before voters in March.
Lawmakers were finalizing work on budget trailer bills as the session wound down.
SB 895 enjoys support from nearly 50 co-authors and the
Intended to serve as a state-level shield against federal funding reductions, the bill targets support for health, medical, agricultural and climate research.
Wiener characterized the effort as a critical move by California to "stand up against the attack on science by the Trump administration, which is methodically tearing down federal support for scientific research, and to really triple down on California's global leadership."
According to Wiener, securing approval from lawmakers and voters would mark a major victory for millions of state residents who depend on scientific advances to treat and prevent diseases, enhance quality of life, guard against wildfires, lower food costs and advance agricultural innovation.
Through a state bond program, SB 895 would finance grants and loans to fund research activities as well as the construction, operation and maintenance of research facilities.
The bill would establish the California Foundation for Science and Health Research to administer funding across public and private research entities, universities, and organizations specializing in disease prevention, biomedicine, climate change, and wildfire mitigation.
The proposed legislation also designates 10% of funds for a state research program modeled after the federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, while allocating $1 billion directly to the University of California and California State University systems for constructing research facilities.
