Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $7.5 billion bond to fund scientific research across California on Wednesday. Signed from the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bond will be on the ballot for the March 2028 California primary. If approved by voters, Senate Bill 895 would support research in medicine, climate and public health. The bill includes a $1 billion specific allocation for University of California and California State University research facilities, while also supporting California research institutes, private companies and private universities. Authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill was introduced in response to a wave of federal budget cuts to UC system research under President Donald Trump’s administration in 2025. These cuts included a $584 million funding freeze on UCLA research grants, which UC employees successfully blocked in a lawsuit. The Trump administration canceled nearly $2 billion in grants across all UC system campuses, prompting UC faculty to file a class a...