Two landmark bills have been signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, with new funding also announced to strengthen the state’s leadership in quantum computing and fusion energy – two cutting-edge fields expected to shape the global economy for decades to come.
“Our state was literally born from our ability to lean into emerging industries that will change our world,” Newsom said. “While others dream, California is delivering the future – the Golden State is where the innovations of tomorrow begin.”
Quantum Technology
Newsom signed Assembly Bill 940, authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), which establishes a statewide strategy for quantum innovation. The bill directs the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to develop a framework for growing the state’s quantum economy in line with the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint. The governor also announced $4 million in new funding to support quantum research and workforce development.
“Quantum will define the future – and with AB 940, California is claiming its place at the forefront,” Wicks said. “This bill ensures we are positioning ourselves to lead in quantum innovation, create good-paying jobs, and capture the immense economic value this technology will generate.”
Quantum computing is capable of solving problems in minutes that would take traditional computers thousands of years – offering transformative potential in medicine, artificial intelligence, climate science, and secure communications. California is home to both federal quantum research centers and multiple academic and private sector hubs, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, and Caltech.
Fusion Energy
The governor also signed Senate Bill 80, authored by Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Merced), which establishes the Fusion Research and Development Innovation Initiative. The bill allocates $5 million to accelerate fusion research and aims to position California as the first state to pilot commercial fusion energy by the 2040s.
“Fusion energy has the immense potential to provide consistent, clean baseload power on demand,” Caballero said. “By signing SB 80, the Governor has affirmed California’s commitment to advancing fusion energy research.”
California’s fusion ecosystem includes two of the nation’s premier research sites – the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where researchers achieved the world’s first laboratory fusion ignition in 2022.
Workforce of the Future
The initiatives also reinforce California’s growing innovation infrastructure. State universities continue to lead in research, patents, and start-up creation. The University of California system alone earned 540 U.S. patents in 2024, maintaining the highest total of any university system in the nation.
“We are thrilled and honored to be the launchpad for ‘Quantum California,’” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons. “It is a perfect fit for Berkeley, where innovation and entrepreneurship are at the heart of our culture and mission.”
Economic Leadership
California remains the world’s fourth-largest economy, leading the nation in venture funding, business formation, and agricultural output. In the first half of 2025, California startups attracted over $110 billion in venture capital, accounting for nearly two-thirds of U.S. investment.
Newsom’s office emphasized that the new legislation and funding are part of a broader effort to secure California’s future as a global leader in science, technology, and sustainable energy.