About Proposition 4: The Children’s Hospital Bond Act Of 2018

California’s 13 regional children’s hospitals provide specialized care to treat children and young adults up to age 21 who are suffering from serious and life-threatening diseases such as leukemia, sickle cell disease, cancer, and cystic fibrosis. The hospitals handle more than 2 million visits each year, including from some of the state’s lowest-income children, regardless of a family’s income or ability to pay. The Children’s Hospital Bond of 2018 provides $1.5 billion over 15 years to support this critical, life-saving care.

Children’s hospitals save lives.

• California’s children’s hospitals perform 97 percent of all pediatric organ transplants and 96 percent of all pediatric heart surgeries, and conduct 76 percent of all pediatric cancer treatments.
  
• Children’s hospitals are premier pediatric research centers making leading-edge biomedical discoveries that benefit all kids.
  
• These advances in medical research and technology are producing dramatic results. Today, 85 percent of children diagnosed with leukemia are cured.
  The Children’s Hospital Bond of 2018 will mean higher-quality care for more kids.
  

• This bond will allow children’s hospitals to expand, upgrade and improve their facilities and reach, meaning more kids will have access to the specialized, life-saving care they need.
  
• The bond also helps children’s hospitals acquire the latest technology and life-saving medical equipment, giving doctors the tools to save more children’s lives.
  This bond makes fiscal sense.
  

• Children’s hospitals have a track record of spending bond money wisely. Funds from previous bond measures have been invested to ensure seismic safety, add inpatient beds, and acquire new technology – but the growing demand for care means additional funds are needed to continue ensuring high-quality care for our state’s sickest kids.
  
• By helping to cover the cost of infrastructure upgrades, this bond allows children’s hospitals to focus their attention and resources on caring for sick children, regardless of their families’ income.
  
• California has an “investment grade” bond rating because our state is prudent about how much debt we take on.
  Children’s hospitals deserve support.
  

• Prop 4 has been endorsed by over 100 elected leaders and organizations throughout California.