UC sponsors SB 895 to place a $23 billion bond to fund scientific research in California on the November ballot
UC Office of the President, March 5, 2026
The $23 billion bond would protect jobs, sustain lifesaving research, improve health and bolster the state’s innovation economy
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OAKLAND – As the University of California faces one of the most significant disruptions to its research enterprise in its 157-year history, UC President James B. Milliken announced today that the University is sponsoring state Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 895, bipartisan legislation that would place a $23 billion bond to fund scientific research across California on the November 2026 ballot. If passed by voters, the measure would be a critical step in preserving research that is central to protecting jobs, sustaining lifesaving medical advancements, supporting the health of communities across the state and maintaining California’s global leadership in innovation.
“University research has been under sustained attack over the past year,” said UC President James B. Milliken. “This bill aims to protect the remarkable advances benefiting millions of Californians now and in the future. We are proud to cosponsor this bill and will always stand up for science.”
SB 895 establishes the California Foundation for Science and Health Research to fund competitive research grants, low-interest loans and modernized research facilities focused on urgent statewide priorities.
“As the federal government upends science funding, California must stand up to defend science and to double down on our state’s global science leadership,” said Sen. Scott Wiener. “Science makes California great in so many ways, from helping cure diseases, to helping prevent climate-driven wildfires, to driving our economy. The UC has been at the center of that scientific leadership for decades, and I’m proud to have its partnership in the fight to take back control of California’s destiny on science funding.”
UC research drives California’s innovation and economy
Scientific research is a cornerstone of California’s economy, serving as the foundation for some of the state’s leading industries. California’s biotechnology industry generated $395.7 billion in total economic output, contributed $125.7 billion in salaries, and supported 1.15 million jobs in 2024.
As the nation’s top public research institution, UC plays a central role in California’s innovation ecosystem. It leads to life-changing solutions that benefit everyone — from the smartphone in your pocket to the food on your plate to the medicine in your cabinet. For every $1 the State of California invests in UC, $21.04 is generated in total economic activity and $14.32 is added in real economic value.
Last year, UC set a new world record for the most Nobel Prizes awarded to one university system in a single year and received the most U.S. utility patents in the world amid global competition, helping keep the nation at the forefront of scientific discovery.
“This measure could help you or someone you love by continuing research in groundbreaking therapies for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and more," said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller. "As the federal government slashes research funding across the country, we are proud to come together with Senator Wiener, Assemblymember Solache and the University of California to ensure that California meets the moment.”
Federal funding for research
Funding from the federal government supports tens of thousands of jobs across California and drives breakthroughs in health care, agriculture, climate science, artificial intelligence, national security and more. Unprecedented disruptions at the federal level now threaten that critical work and create significant setbacks for progress and innovation — while putting jobs and educational opportunities at risk.
Pharmaceutical discounts and state support
In addition to support for science, SB 895 includes requirements to make health care more accessible by ensuring California residents receive discounts for pharmaceuticals developed through this research. It also ensures profitable discoveries are reinvested back in California by allowing the state to recoup some licensing and royalty fees from inventions and technologies produced from bond-funded research dollars.
Support for SB 895 is bipartisan and broad-based, from researchers and physicians to legislators throughout the state. The bill is sponsored by United Auto Workers Region 6 and Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD), and is joint authored by Senators Sasha Renée Pérez and Aisha Wahab and principal co-authored by Assemblymembers José Luis Solache, Jr., Mike Gipson, Jacqui Irwin, Al Muratsuchi, and Darshana Patel, Ph.D. Thirty-one members of the Legislature are co-authoring the bill to date.
Or direct to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X_SYZqPe6A or https://ia601506.us.archive.org/0/items/newsom-03-04-2026/UC%20Support%20for%20Research%20Bond%20SB%20895%203-5-2026.mp4.
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