Authorizes bonds to continue funding stem cell and other medical research. Initiative statute. Prop. 14 Authorizes $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds for the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. These funds would be used to fund grants for Stem Cell Research.

Because we must pay back these bonds with interest, Prop. 14 will cost about $10 billion in the long term.

The money goes directly to the CIRM – The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. It decides who gets our tax dollars for research. CIRM provides grants to educational, nonprofit, and PRIVATE RESEARCHERS.

A “YES” VOTE MEANS – You SUPPORT USING TAX DOLLARS TO PAY FOR CIRM STEM CELL RESEARCH. (The bonds must be paid back with interest.) 

A “NO” VOTE MEANS – YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE TAX DOLLARS TO SUPPORT STEM CELL RESEARCH. 

Obviously, this proposition is more complicated than that. Here is some background.

Background:

If this proposition sounds familiar, you are right. In 2004 California voters passed Proposition 71. It authorized $3 billion to create the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. So right now, we are paying off that debt. Payback on that $3 billion is $6 billion. Why do we need Prop. 14, you ask? Because the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine has run out of money. We are still paying it back, but the money has been spent. 

Supporters say Prop. 14’s will pay for vital research. Research is being conducted on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, epilepsy, and other brain and central nervous system diseases and other conditions.

Critics of Prop 14 say it is poorly written and has no protection for us, potential patients, to benefit from this research after paying for it. Prop 14 is opposed by the nonprofit Center for Genetics and Society. They say VOTE NO because there is not enough oversite on how our tax dollars will be spent.

Contribution Dollars:

Support: $9,132,426.08

Oppose: $0.0

Article Source Links: 

https://ballotpedia.org/California_2020_ballot_propositions

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures