Dear Colleagues:
Senate Bill 895 is an important bill currently being considered by the State of California. If the bill makes it onto the November ballot, it could provide needed support for our research enterprise. Learn more about the purpose of the bill and what faculty and staff can do to support it:
Background
SB 895, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act, would place a multi-billion-dollar bond on the November 2026 ballot. The bill is co-sponsored by the University of California and the United Auto Workers (UAW), representing our graduate student researchers. The measure would establish the California Foundation for Science and Health Research and provide long-term, stable funding to support science and research across the state. Its purpose is to ensure that California continues to lead in the pursuit of new knowledge, the discovery of life-saving cures and the innovation that drives economic competitiveness.
This effort comes at a critical moment. UC faces a great threat due to unprecedented uncertainty around federal research funding that supports thousands of jobs, student opportunities and world-renowned research programs. The sustained loss of federal support would significantly damage UC’s research enterprise and undermine California’s ability to meet urgent statewide needs in climate resilience, wildfire and water management, biomedical science and public health. The bill has been and continues to be a top priority for UC and UCLA leadership. Several campus leaders, including Chancellor Frenk, have met with members of the state legislature to urge their support of the measure at the highest funding levels possible. We encourage all who would like to weigh in with their support to do so as well.
The State Senate passed SB 895 in late May and amended it to reduce the funding amount from $23 billion to $12 billion. This was necessary to ensure Senate passage. The State Assembly is now considering the bond measure. This is a critical time to contact your state assemblymember to express support for SB 895, which must be approved by the Assembly and Governor Newsom by June 25.
What Can You Do?
Because UC has co-sponsored the measure, UCLA faculty and staff are able to advocate for the bill in their UC capacities. Legislators need to hear from faculty, staff and others that they support SB 895. This is a critical time to weigh in with your representative in the State Assembly. Below are some options for action you can take to advocate in support of this measure.
UCAN Campaign
Sign on to the UC Advocacy Network (UCAN) campaign and consider expanding UC’s reach by forwarding the campaign to your networks and encouraging others to participate.
Contact Your State Assemblymember
Contact your state assemblymember to urge their support for SB 895. Use this site to find who represents you in the Assembly. Enter your home address and your assemblymember’s name will appear, hyperlinked to their web page. Once you click on their hyperlink, the “contact” tab on the legislator’s website will provide options for how you can reach out — typically, you will be able to submit an email and/or call the office to express your support. Below is sample language you can personalize for your advocacy message — by email, phone call or both.
Sample Language
Personalize the sample language below when reaching out to your assemblymember. Personalizing your message will make it compelling and more persuasive. Explain how your research impacts the public good. If federal actions have had a negative impact on your research, tell that story.
SB 895, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act, is a historic opportunity to invest in science and research to benefit the state of California. The measure would help the University of California offset federal research cuts the university is experiencing.
UC’s systemic budget challenges include rising operating costs; state fiscal constraints; and numerous federal actions that directly affect our research mission and support for students, faculty and staff.
The research bond under consideration would provide funding for research that advances knowledge and delivers public benefit across California. Please support SB 895!
California leads the way in conducting state-of-the-art science and research, which leads to new discoveries and medical breakthroughs that have saved thousands of lives. SB 895 is a seminal proposal that will infuse much-needed resources into our research community. The research will benefit the public in numerous ways, including by improving lives, increasing the state’s economic growth and creating new jobs. We encourage everyone to support the bill.
Sincerely,
Darnell Hunt
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
Roger M. Wakimoto
Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Creative Activities
Jennifer Poulakidas
Associate Vice Chancellor, Government and Community Relations