California Online Voter Guide

11th Edition, November 2004 General Election

Proposition 71: Stem Cell Research. Funding. Bonds. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. Passed

Official Summary

Establishes "California Institute for Regenerative Medicine" to regulate stem cell research and provide funding, through grants and loans, for such research and research facilities. Establishes constitutional right to conduct stem cell research; prohibits Institute's funding of human reproductive cloning research. Establishes oversight committee to govern Institute. Provides General Fund loan up to $3 million for Institute's initial administration/implementation costs. Authorizes issuance of general obligation bonds to finance Institute activities up to $3 billion subject to annual limit of $350 million. Appropriates monies from General Fund to pay for bonds.

Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: State cost of about $6 billion over 30 years to pay off both the principal ($3 billion) and interest ($3 billion) on the bonds. Payments of about $200 million per year. Full Text of Proposition (PDF)

Campaign Web Sites and Contact Information

Yes on Proposition 71
Californians for Stem Cell Research and Cures
11271 Ventura Blvd., #509, Studio City, CA 91604
(800) 931-CURE or info@curesforcalifornia.com
Fax: (818) 337-0309
No on Proposition 71
Doctors, Patients, and Taxpayers for Fiscal Responsibility
P.O. Box 2402, Covina, CA 91722
comments@dptfr.org

Who Signed the Ballot Arguments

Yes on Proposition 71:

Alan D. Cherrington, PhD, President, American Diabetes Association
Carolyn Aldige, President, National Coalition for Cancer Research (NCCR)
Joan Samuelson, President, Parkinson’s Action Network
Leon Thal, MD, Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of California at San Diego
Paul Berg, PhD, Nobel Laureate Professor of Cancer Research, Stanford University
Roger Guillemin, MD, PhD, Nobel Laureate Distinguished Professor, Salk Institute for Biological Studies

No on Proposition 71:

Tom McClintock, California State Senator
John M.W. Moorlach, CPA, Orange County Treasurer
H. Rex Greene, MD, Cancer Center Director and Bioethics Consultant
Judy Norsigian, Executive Director, Our Bodies Ourselves
Francine Coeytaux, Founder, Pacific Institute for Women’s Health
Tina Stevens, PhD, Author, Bioethics in America: Origins and Cultural Politics

Follow the Money

Supporters of Proposition 71 have raised approximately $21 million as of October 16, 2004. The two largest contributors by far are Ann Doerr and John Doerr (Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers) of Woodside, California, who contributed nearly $4 million, and Robert N. Klein, III, (CEO, Klein Financial Corp) of Fresno, California, who contributed nearly $3 million. Those contributing over $1 million as of October 27th include Marion O. Sandler and Herbert M. Sandler (CEO, World Savings Bank) of Oakland, Ute C. Bowes and William K. Bowes (Venture Capitalist) of Menlo Park, and Pamela Omidyar (Founder, Hope Lab Foundation) and Pierre Omidyar (CEO, Omidyar Network, LLC) of Los Gatos.

Opponents of Proposition 71 have raised approximately $275,000 as of October 16, 2004. Major contributors as of October 27th include Fieldstead & Co, Focus on the Family, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Don Sebastiani (winery owner, Sonoma, CA), James Holman (editor of the San Diego Reader), and the California Family Council.

Detailed information about all contributors for and against Prop 71 is available through Cal-Access, the Secretary of State's campaign finance website.

For More Information, CVF Recommends...

The California Secretary of State publishes the Official Voter Information Guide with both a Quick Summary and Detailed Information about Proposition 71.

Other good nonpartisan resources include the League of Women Voters' Pro/Con Analysis and In-Depth Analysis of Proposition 71, the California Journal, the McGeorge School of Law California Initiative Review and the Easy Voter Guide.

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