Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed Senate Bill 895 (SB 895) on Sept. 30, sending a $7.5 billion bond measure that would fund scientific and health research and development to voters on March 7, 2028.
SB 895 would also establish the California Foundation for Science and Health Research within the Government Operations Agency and the California Foundation for Science and Health Research Council to oversee the administration of grants and loans. It would also create the Innovation Acceleration Fund, where the public funds for science and health research would be held, and the Innovation Acceleration Benefit Fund, where private donations for the same purposes would be held.
A two-thirds legislative vote is required to place a bond measure on the ballot in California. SB 895 was introduced on Jan. 15, 2026. On Aug. 31, it passed in the state Senate by a vote of 28-9 with three absent, and in the state Assembly by a vote of 67-6 with six absent. It received unanimous approval by voting Democrats and support from 34.8% of voting Republicans.
During the legislative process, over 100 organizations registered in support of the bill and none registered in opposition to it. Allison Lee of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines submitted this argument in support of the bill: “Without SB 895, California could lose its global leadership position in science, innovation, and public health and the billions of dollars in tax revenue and hundreds of thousands of high-wage jobs generated by the state’s clear scientific leadership. As this bill not only bolsters funding for lifesaving research, but also increases our state’s propensity to provide affordable medications for patients in need, our organization is in strong support of this bill.”
Californians cast ballots on 49 bond issues, totaling $223.536 billion in value, from January 1, 1993, through November 5, 2024. Voters approved 37 (76%) of the bond measures—a total of $186.054 billion. Ten of the measures were citizen initiatives, and seven of the 10 citizen-initiated bonds were approved. The legislature referred 39 bond measures to the ballot, and 30 of 39 legislative referrals were approved.
California voters will decide on three measures on Nov. 3, 2026, that would issue bonds. Proposition 1 would issue $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds to fund Multifamily Housing Program, CalVet Home Loan Program, and youth housing. Proposition 37 would issue $25 billion in revenue bonds to fund a second mortgage homebuyer program for qualified homebuyers on qualifying homes. Proposition 38 would issue $8.4 billion in general obligation bonds to fund immunology and immunotherapy research.
SB 895 is the second measure certified in California for 2028, but the first to be placed on the primary ballot. Voters will also be deciding on a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in November 2028 that would remove higher education admissions and enrollment from the list of state operations that are expressly prohibited from engaging in racial discrimination or granting race-based preferential treatment.
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