States debate replacing NIH funding as federal research system contracts

As the Trump administration's NIH cuts reduced federal grant awards to roughly 30% of normal volume in 2026, state legislatures began debating proposals to replace the lost research funding. California lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 607, a $23 billion bond measure for universities, researchers, and healthcare organizations to appear on the November 2026 ballot. New York faced $2.8 billion in terminated NIH grants and an advocacy group launched a $6 billion state research fund proposal. Massachusetts, the most affected state, lost more than $1.3 billion in terminated NIH grants.