California voters have approved a $1.5 billion bond measure to help the state's children's hospitals fund renovations, expansions and upgrades, The Mercury News reported.
The California Children's Hospital Association sponsored the measure, which will provide bond money over 15 years to eight nonprofit hospitals and five University of California hospitals.
Nearly 75 percent of the bond money will go to nonprofit facilities, including Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, while 18 percent will go to UC hospitals, including UC San Francisco. About 150 California hospitals that treat children will also have 10 percent available in competitive grant funds.
The association said the bond money would help hospitals expand and improve facilities and acquire equipment, "so more kids will have access to the specialized care they need."
Opponents, including the League of Women Voters of California, said that state money shouldn't go to private facilities and there other ways to pay for the improvements, according to the report.