The campus of the University of California, Berkeley. The UC system is sponsoring a bill that would create a $23 billion bond issue for scientific research in the state.gettyA California bill would give California voters the chance to vote on whether the state should create a $23 billion bond measure that would be used to fund competitive grants to university researchers across the state.Senate Bill 895, dubbed the “California Science and Health Research Bond Act,” was introduced earlier this year by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and is co-sponsored by the University of California. If passed and approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the bill, which currently enjoys bi-partisan support, would place a $23 billion bond on the November 2026 ballot. That measure would help ensure that scientific research continues to be funded in California, following a period that has seen the Trump administration attempt to cut research funding nationally and freeze hundreds of millions of dollars in research grants specifically for University of California institutions.“California’s prosperity is inextricably connected to its investment in university research and discovery,” said UC President Milliken, speaking at a rally for the bill this week. “SB 895 comes at a pivotal moment, providing a lifeline that delivers economic opportunity and life-saving medical care for our residents.” The bill would establish the California Foundation for Science and Health Research, which would award competitive grants, loans, and funding to public or private research companies, universities, institutes, and organizations for scientific research in areas such as biomedical, behavioral health, and climate science.MORE FOR YOUThe bill would authorize a new research council to establish scientific peer review panels consisting of research experts who would review the scientific merit of funding proposals as well as the potential benefit to the health and well-being of the population, natural resources, and environment of the state. It requires that all the research that’s funded under the measure follows established standards of open scientific exchange, peer review, and public oversight. While federal judges have issued temporary injunctions that have restored much of the University of California’s formerly frozen research funds, millions of dollars of support still remain in jeopardy according to Milliken. “Reductions in federal funding are already disrupting critical UC research that supports thousands of jobs, drives medical innovation, and leads to life-changing solutions that benefit everyone,” he said in a statement earlier this year. “The University is grateful for Sen. Wiener’s efforts to ensure that UC remains the greatest research university in the world.”Senate Bill 895 is also sponsored by UAW Region 6 and Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD). Jointly authored by Senators Sasha Renée Pérez and Aisha Wahab, the bill already has 37 members of the State Legislature listed as co-authors. “The science bond is one of the best investments we can make in California’s future,” Senator Wiener said at this week’s rally. “Scientific research is a pillar of California’s economy and prosperity and one of California’s greatest contributions to the world. It fuels our world-class universities. Our life sciences sector supports over a million jobs and billions in economic output. To millions of families and loved ones struggling with untreatable illnesses, scientific research represents hope. SB 895 will power those dreams and that success for another generation — putting power back in the hands of Californians to steer the next generation of scientific advances while the federal government pulls back.” In his remarks to drum up support for the bill, UC President Milliken said that the University of California was facing the most significant disruption to its research enterprise in history. “To put it simply — no one anywhere does scientific discovery better than the University of California. And if the federal government puts this at risk, I am confident the people of California will understand what needs to be done.”