Gov. Newsom signs his final bill, investing in California’s next generation of innovation

SAN FRANCISCO – For generations, California has been the birthplace of new ideas and new industries – from the Gold Rush era, the creation of the internet, to becoming the global epicenter of the artificial intelligence industry. 

Building on that legacy, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his final bill signing of his last regular legislative session by investing in the people and institutions that will drive California’s success for generations to come.

Standing at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Governor signed Senate Bill 895 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which puts a $7.5 billion science and health research bond before voters in March 2028, supporting research at California universities and institutions in medicine, public health, climate, wildfire prevention, agriculture and other fields. 

Once considered impossible to build, the Golden Gate Bridge has become an enduring symbol of California ingenuity and ambition.

California doesn’t settle for what’s possible — we shape what comes next. Great companies start small, big ideas start with a risk, and every generation of innovators has helped build this state into the fourth-largest economy in the world. We owe those dreamers and doers the opportunity to compete, succeed and thrive — because the future will always happen here first.

Governor Gavin Newsom

The bill signing marks a symbolic moment, as this bill is the last of 1,160 bills acted on during this legislation session and 7,803 bills acted on by Governor Newsom since the start of his administration since 2019. View the b-roll from the bill signing here.

Building the next generation of California breakthroughs

SB 895 will make a major investment in the people and institutions behind California’s innovation economy. The legislation places a $7.5 billion research bond before voters in March 2028 and creates the California Foundation for Science and Health Research to support scientific research and development through grants, loans and contracts.

“With this investment, California is imagining a better future for millions of families,” said Senator Wiener. “Scientific advancements are curing and preventing diseases, improving the lives of people living with chronic conditions, protecting our communities from wildfires, lowering the cost of food, and powering our economy. We cannot allow the federal government to throw away that hope for a better future. SB 895 is a bold step to protect science, improve lives, and continue California’s global leadership on innovation for many years to come.”

“Washington has played political games with life-saving research, canceling studies on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other diseases, and putting scientists out of work. With Governor Newsom’s signature on SB 895, California is saying, ‘Enough!,’” said UAW International President Shawn Fain. “SB 895 puts the power in the hands of voters to invest in science, protect the truth, and keep discovery moving so that breakthroughs serve working-class people and our communities, not just those at the top.”

“This is a major achievement, made possible by an extraordinary coalition of people who understand the importance of investing in scientific research,” said UC President James B. Milliken. “The University of California’s research enterprise improves lives, creates opportunity, and drives innovation and economic growth across our state and the entire nation. We are grateful to Gov. Newsom, Sen. Wiener, members of the legislature, and our partners at UAW for their leadership and collaboration on this issue. I also want to thank the thousands of UC faculty, staff, students, researchers, alumni, and supporters who made their voices heard and helped us achieve this important milestone.” 

Funding would support research in biomedical science, public health, disease prevention and behavioral health, as well as work addressing some of California’s biggest challenges, including climate change, wildfire prevention, extreme weather, ocean science, agriculture and water.  Research proposals would undergo scientific peer review based on their merit and potential benefits to Californians, public health, the environment and natural resources.

The measure would also invest in California’s world-class public universities, including $1 billion for related infrastructure projects at the University of California and the California State University.

Investing in the engine behind California’s innovation economy

As the world’s fourth largest economy, California continues to lead the nation where it matters most — creating new businesses, attracting venture capital, driving technological innovation, expanding advanced manufacturing, growing high-tech industries, and producing more than any other state. 

In fact, under Governor Newsom’s leadership, the Golden State continues to be: #1 state for new business starts, #1 state for high-tech business, #1 state for agriculture, #1 state for venture capital. 

• California companies attracted $366 billion in venture capital in 2026 as of August, more than three times the total raised in all 49 other states combined.

• California businesses performed more than one-third of all U.S. business R&D in 2023—more than the next five states combined.

• California residents received more than 50,000 U.S. patents in fiscal year 2025, more than any other state and more than four times as many as second-place Texas.

• The University of California system received more U.S. patents than any other university worldwide in 2025, with 571 patents granted.

• California is home to more Nobel laureates than any other state or any country outside the United States. More than a third of America’s science Nobel laureates this century have California ties, including five of the world’s nine science winners in 2025 alone.

• California’s colleges and universities performed $14.4 billion in R&D in fiscal year 2024 — more than any other state.

• California’s life sciences industry generated $394 billion in total economic output and supported more than 1 million jobs in 2025, including more than 400,000 direct jobs.

California is home to leading research institutions, universities, biotechnology companies, technology companies and emerging industries that connect fundamental research to new products, companies and jobs.

California charts a strong path forward

SB 895 builds on a year of action to improve Californians’ lives and prepare the state for the future. Working with the Legislature, Governor Newsom signed legislation to expand opportunity, protect health and fundamental freedoms, and make everyday life more affordable. This year’s actions include:

✅ Supporting California jobs and creativity by extending CalCompetes incentives for business investment and job creation and strengthening film and television incentives, including a new credit for post-production work.

✅ Helping small businesses grow by strengthening fair competition, speeding business permits, and opening vacant storefronts to pop-up businesses.

✅ Advancing the next generation of clean energy by developing California’s fusion energy strategy and assessing opportunities for advanced nuclear technologies to support reliable, zero-carbon power.

✅ Advancing responsible artificial intelligence through standards for independent evaluation and auditing, disclosures when advertisements use AI-generated performers, and new safeguards for workers and patients and greater transparency for AI-generated content.

✅ Protecting children online withstronger chatbot safeguards, restrictions on addictive social media features for children under 16, and stronger privacy protections.

✅ Holding data centers accountablethrough greater transparency about water and electricity use and protections against shifting infrastructure costs onto other customers.

✅ Making healthier choices easierthrough a new label to help families identify non-ultraprocessed foods and clear warnings for high-sugar beverages at chain restaurants, alongside permanent funding for Farm to School.

✅ Supporting young Californians’ wellbeing by strengthening suicide prevention for boys and young men, restricting cannabis marketing that appeals to children, and protecting families’ ability to choose additional safety equipment in youth football.

✅ Protecting reproductive freedom and care with $90 million in emergency funding for reproductive health providers, alongsideexpanded medication abortion access at community colleges and fewer barriers to Medi-Cal lactation services.

✅ Standing with LGBTQ Californiansthrough stronger protections for sensitive personal and health information and improved access to HIV prevention medications.

✅ Building more homes and strengthening homelessness response by streamlining affordable housing financing, reducing duplicative reviews, and reinforcing accountability for local homelessness funding, alongside faster housing permits, more paths to townhome ownership, and support for recovery housing.

✅ Investing in students and working families through continued budget support for transitional kindergarten, school meals and child care, stronger school governance, and recognition for colleges committed to serving Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.

✅ Expanding transportation choices byspeeding EV charger installation, expanding access to lower-cost fuel options, andauthorizing a $590 million emergency loan to protect Bay Area transit service.

✅ Protecting California’s coast, wildlife and outdoor access by restricting state support for new offshore drilling, strengthening wildlife connectivity in highway planning, and making the State Parks Library Pass permanent.

✅ Putting innovation to work against wildfires by accelerating prevention projects, expanding prescribed fire, and creating CAL FIRE’s Fire Innovation Unit to advance new firefighting technology.

✅ Helping communities recover from disasters through stronger wildfire smoke cleanup standards, insurance protections and mortgage relief, alongside greater accountability and emergency support following cold storage facility disasters.

✅ Strengthening public safety with safer firearm storage and stronger enforcement of firearm prohibitions, tougher consequences for repeat DUI offenses, andstronger tools for judges to protect communities and preserve access to mental health treatment.

✅ Protecting children and survivors by banning child marriage and strengthening privacy protections for sexual assault survivors and trafficking prevention on college campuses.

✅ Protecting the freedom to gather and worship by expanding nonprofit security resources and strengthening safe access to houses of worship.

✅ Defending democracy and California’s authority through stronger protections against election interference, limits on unauthorized military deployments by other states, and new tax credits to help local newsrooms hire and retain journalists.

✅ Protecting immigrant communities byincreasing detention transparency, safeguarding access to courthouses, and preserving CalWORKs support for families affected by immigration detention.

✅ Making everyday life easier byimproving access to human customer service and eliminating fees for medical certification of family and disability leave, while expanding mobile driver’s license access and simplifying DMV processes.

✅ Protecting consumers and public trustwith restrictions on speculative ticket sales and deceptive advertising, tools to recover money lost to cryptocurrency fraud, and a ban on public officials issuing meme coins.

✅ Honoring veterans’ service by cracking down on predatory benefits assistance andexpanding property tax relief for disabled veterans and priority college registration for veterans and eligible dependents.

✅ Strengthening partnerships with tribal nations by making the Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs permanent and strengthening government-to-government consultation.

✅ Preparing to welcome the world in 2028 by strengthening public safety coordination for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and extending in-state tuition benefits for Team USA student-athletes.