Stem-Cell Research
Governor Schwarzenegger championed the passage of Proposition 71, the Stem-Cell Research Initiative, and with voter approval, California became an international leader in stem-cell research, directing $3 billion to fund research.
Supporting Senior
Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 2911, landmark legislation providing 40 to 60 percent savings on prescription drugs under the Medicare Part D program for uninsured seniors in California.
Governor Schwarzenegger fought for and secured $1.7 billion in new federal assistance for seniors receiving In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS); the funds allowed 66,000 aged, blind, and disabled residents to continue receiving IHSS.
Access to Health Care
Governor Schwarzenegger made California the first state in the nation to implement health care reform by signing legislation to create the California Health Benefit Exchange, which will help consumers and small businesses shop for affordable health insurance starting in 2014.
Building a Healthier California
Governor Schwarzenegger’s State Board of Education adopted the first-ever physical fitness standards for California schools.
In January 2007, the Governor reconstituted the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the Governor’s Fitness Challenge to promote physical activity, with an emphasis on children and youth. This program engaged over a million students.
The Governor signed legislation that set nutritional standards for food served and sold in K-12 public schools, and extended the ban on the sale of soda in middle schools to high schools.
In 2008, the Governor signed legislation requiring California restaurants to phase out the use of trans fats, and to require that restaurant chains with twenty or more locations post calorie information on menus and indoor menu boards.