SACRAMENTO Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation that earmarks $15 million in last months budget package to a school of medicine at UC Riverside, capping years of efforts to secure the money. <\/p>\n
The centerpiece of the higher education budget trailer bill signed Monday was the creation of a college scholarship program for middle-income families. The assistance was a priority of Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, D-Los Angeles. <\/p>\n
The measure, though, also included language directing the University of California to spend $15 million to open the medical school. The money will come from a $125.1 million UC funding increase in the $96.3 billion general fund budget bill signed last Thursday. <\/p>\n
Supporters of the school said a state funding commitment was vital to the schools future and to maintain its accreditation. The region, they said, has a serious shortage of primary-care physicians at a time when the federal healthcare law will increase the number of insured residents seeking doctors. <\/p>\n
Inland lawmakers from both sides of the aisle praised Mondays action. <\/p>\n
My main focus from day one was to ensure that this becomes a continuing appropriation by UC to ensure that the accreditation process is not compromised, state Sen. Bill Emmerson, R-Redlands, the top Republican on the Senate budget panel, said in a statement. <\/p>\n
This ongoing funding commitment is a victory for the UCR Medical School, the health of the people of Inland Southern California, and our regional economy, state Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, said. <\/p>\n
Added Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside: I felt good on Thursday. Its the end of a long, community-wide process. <\/p>\n
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MEDICAL SCHOOL: Governor\u2019s signature final step in funding quest<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SACRAMENTO Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation that earmarks $15 million in last months budget package to a school of medicine at UC Riverside, capping years of efforts to secure the money. The centerpiece of the higher education budget trailer bill signed Monday was the creation of a college scholarship program for middle-income families Continue reading