Voters have approved a ballot measure that will provide additional funding for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Associated Press reports.
In 2004, California voters approved Proposition 71, a $3 billion bond measure to support stem cell research in the state, which the AP notes has led to new stem cell labs and research trials in the state. But as Science reported last year, funds at CIRM have become tight and the agency had to announce it would be unable to fund new projects.
But in a close vote, the AP reports California voters have approved Proposition 14, a new $5.5 billion bond sale to fund the agency. A new vote tally shows the initiative garnered 51 percent of the vote, it adds. Robert Klein, a financial analyst and patient advocate who wrote the measure, tells the AP the closeness of the vote was likely due to voters' concerns regarding the economy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.