May 13, 2021 | Report

What Can We Learn From How the State Responded to the Last Major Drought?

Summarizes how the state responded to the 2012-to-2016 drought and highlights key lessons for current and future droughts.

May 12, 2021 | Report

An Initial Look at Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Local Government Fiscal Condition

Examines what is known about the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on local governments’ fiscal condition.

April 26, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

The Governor’s Proposition 2 Proposals

Provides an overview of the Governor’s proposals related to Proposition 2 (2014); summarizes and comments on the Governor’s Proposition 2 reserve and debt payment proposals.

April 14, 2021 | Report

Improving Parolee Substance Use Disorder Treatment Through Medi-Cal

Provides background on the ways parolees access substance use disorder treatment (SUDT); assesses the trade-offs between approaches; recommends steps to improve the quality of service and create savings by increasing the utilization of Medi-Cal for parolee SUDT.

March 26, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

“Cradle to Career” Data System

Provides background on process to date toward creating an integrated education data system and other related data tools (collectively referred to as the "Cradle to Career" data system); describes the Governor’s proposals to fund the development of specific components of this system; assesses these proposals; makes associated recommendations.

March 19, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

Department of Toxic Substances Control

Discusses the Governor’s proposal to implement fiscal and governance reforms for the Department of Toxic Substances Control, as well as the proposal to provide $300 million in one-time General Fund to clean up brownfields across the state.

March 12, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Authorization of Remote Court Proceedings

Analyzes the Governor’s 2021-22 budget proposals to authorize remote court proceedings.

March 10, 2021 | Report

Strengthening the CalSTRS Funding Plan

Provides an overview of the 2014 California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) funding plan; analyzes the various challenges and complexities of the plan; offers several short- and longer-term recommendations for the Legislature to consider to help CalSTRS eliminate the system’s current and future unfunded actuarial obligation, achieve long-term savings, and improve legislative oversight.

March 9, 2021 | Handout

High-Speed Rail Revised Draft 2020 Business Plan

Analyzes the High-Speed Rail Authority’s Revised Draft 2020 Business Plan and provides some issues for legislative consideration.

March 2, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

Improving Legislative Oversight of
Emergency Spending Authorities

Provides an overview of the Governor’s emergency spending authorities; assesses the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals to extend, modify, and expand emergency spending authorities to continue to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; recommends ways to improve the oversight of emergency spending.

February 26, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

In-Home Supportive Services

Analyzes the Governor’s 2021-22 budget proposals related to the In-Home Supportive Services program; assesses recent growth trends in caseload, hourly wages, and hours per case; and provides some recommendations and issues for consideration.

February 26, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

UC Programs in Medical Education

Analyzes the Governor’s proposal to provide a General Fund augmentation to the University of California’s Programs in Medical Education—a collection of medical school programs providing specialized instruction in health equity matters.

February 23, 2021 | Report

Updating Special Education Out-of-Home Care Funding

In the Supplemental Report of the 2020-21 Budget Act, the Legislature tasked our office with convening a work group and providing recommendations for updating the special education Out-of-Home Care formula. This report provides background on the issue, describes the assessment and recommendations of the work group, and includes our office’s comments for the Legislature.

February 19, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Behavioral Health: Community Care Demonstration Project

Analyzes the Governor’s proposal to establish a demonstration project in which responsibility for treating individuals found incompetent to stand trial and facing a felony charge would be realigned to participating counties.

February 19, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Educator Workforce Proposals

Analyzes the Governor’s proposals to address teacher shortages and provide additional professional development for school staff; provides background, describes and assesses the proposals, and offers associated recommendations.

February 17, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Behavioral Health: Continuum Infrastructure Funding Proposal

Analyzes the Governor’s proposal in the Department of Health Care Services to provide $750 million General Fund—on a one-time basis—in competitive grants to counties to acquire or renovate facilities for community behavioral health services.

February 17, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Transition to Safer Pest Management

Discusses the Governor’s 2021-22 budget proposal to create a tiered pesticide mill assessment, as well as the proposal for increased spending on regulatory activities and integrated pest management programs.

February 17, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Behavioral Health: Medi-Cal Student Services Funding Proposal

Analyzes the Governor’s proposal in the Department of Health Care Services to provide $200 million General Fund ($400 million total funds) one time to provide incentive payments to Medi-Cal managed care plans to increase the number of students receiving behavioral health services.

February 16, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Analysis of CalAIM Financing Issues

Analyzes CalAIM financing issues, including both the Governor’s funding plan for CalAIM as well as CalAIM’s policy changes related to Medi-Cal financing.

February 16, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget

Analyzes the major adjustments to the Medi-Cal budget in 2020-21 and 2021-22, with a focus on the technical adjustments such as the administration’s caseload estimates.

February 16, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Extension of AB 8 Fees and Funding Securitization for Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure

Analyzes the Governor’s proposal to extend certain vehicle-related fees to fund air quality and climate programs, as well as securitize a portion of the revenue to support zero-emission vehicle infrastructure.

February 16, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

California Community Colleges

Analyzes the Governor’s major budget proposals for the community colleges, covering base apportionments, enrollment, students’ basic needs, online tools, apprenticeships and work-based learning, instructional materials, and faculty professional development.

February 16, 2021 | Report

A Review of State Standards and Inspections for Local Detention Facilities

Provides an overview of local detention facilities (such as county jails) in California; assesses the state’s program for setting minimum facility standards and inspecting these facilities; recommends steps to help ensure the success of the program going forward.

February 12, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Community Schools

Provides background on community schools and funding allocated in the current year to support expansion of existing community schools; describes and assesses the Governor’s proposal; offers our recommendations to the Legislature.

February 12, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

School Mental Health

Provides background on school-based mental health services; describes the Governor’s proposals aimed at increasing such services; provides our assessments of the proposals and offers associated recommendations.

February 11, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Analysis of Child Welfare Proposals

Analyzes the Governor’s 2021-22 budget proposal for child welfare programs; provides program background; provides key questions and issues for the Legislature to consider.

February 11, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Child Care Proposals

Analyzes the Governor’s proposal to transition state administration of child care programs. We further provide options the Legislature could consider to support child care programs during the pandemic.

February 11, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

Trial Court Operations Proposals

Examines impacts of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and prior-year reductions on trial court operations; identifies issues for the Legislature to consider when determining the appropriate level of overall funding for trial court operations in 2021-22; analyzes three of the Governor’s major budget proposals for trial court operations.

February 10, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Cap-and-Trade Expenditure Plan

Analyzes the Governor’s cap-and-trade expenditure plan, which includes "early action" discretionary spending of $624 million in 2020-21, as well as $745 million in 2021-22.

February 9, 2021 | Posts

The 2021-22 Budget

The Medi-Cal Budget Package

Over the coming weeks, we will publish our analyses of technical changes to the Medi-Cal budget—including our assessment of the Governor’s significant projected caseload increases, a series on the Governor’s far-reaching California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) proposal, and the Governor’s behavioral health proposals that relate to Medi-Cal.

February 8, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

California Student Aid Commission

Analyzes the Governor’s major budget proposals for the California Student Aid Commission, including proposals to expand the Cal Grant program and increase financial aid application rates.

February 8, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

California Department of Technology

Discusses 2021-22 Governor’s Budget proposals for the California Department of Technology to use General Fund to pay the costs of some existing information security programs and services, and to create new programs and services to improve the delivery of critical IT services and the stability of legacy IT infrastructure.

February 5, 2021 | Handouts

The 2021-22 Budget

Wildfire Resilience Package

An analysis in two parts—the first summarizes the administration’s proposed package and raises a range of issues for the Legislature’s consideration; the second includes more detailed information and comments related to each program included in the proposed package.

February 5, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Analysis of Housing and Homelessness Proposals

Analyzes the Governor’s major 2021-22 budget proposals related to housing and homelessness.

February 5, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Transitional Kindergarten Expansion Package

Analyzes the Governor’s Transitional Kindergarten expansion proposals and offers comments for the Legislature to consider.

February 5, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

California Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Response

Describes how COVID-19 spending is reflected in the California Department of Public Health’s budget; offers options for the Legislature to express its COVID-19-related goals and priorities in light of the administration’s reliance on midyear budget adjustments; provides an evaluative framework for assessing the administration’s proposals; recommends an after-action review of the state’s public health response.

February 4, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Special Education Proposals

Provides background on special education preschool and school Medi-Cal billing; describes the Governor’s proposals related to these topics; details our assessements of the proposals; offers associated recommendations for the Legislature to consider.

February 4, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Discusses the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, including $143 million for hand crews, $8 million for defensible space inspectors, and $54 million for various capital outlay projects.

February 3, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Analysis of the Governor’s CalWORKs Proposals

Provides background on the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program; gives updates on how caseload has been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic; analyzes the Governor’s proposed CalWORKs budget.

February 2, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Funding for County Probation Departments

Analyzes the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals to provide additional General Fund support for county probation departments.

February 2, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Prison Maintenance and Repair Proposals

Analyzes the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals for prison maintenance and repair, including a $50 million one-time General Fund increase to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s base budget for special repairs and deferred maintenance.

February 1, 2021 | Report

Follow-Up Evaluation of the District of Choice Program

The District of Choice program is one of several laws allowing students to transfer from one school district to another school district. The program is scheduled to sunset on July 1, 2023. This evaluation, prepared at the request of the Legislature, assesses recent trends in the program and provides our recommendations regarding reauthorization.

This is a follow-up to our previous evaluation, published in January 2016.

February 1, 2021 | Report

The 2021-22 Budget

Analysis of the Major University Proposals

Analyzes the Governor’s major budget proposals for the universities, covering base funding, enrollment, students’ basic needs, faculty professional development, and deferred maintenance.

February 1, 2021 | Report

Evaluating State Economic Stimulus Proposals

Offers the Legislature guidance on how to evaluate fiscal stimulus proposals; poses six key questions to ask when assessing specific proposals; provides specific elements that can be incorporated into proposals to increase their potential effectiveness.

January 29, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

The Governor’s Suspension Proposal

Recommends the Legislature reject the proposed suspension language. Given that the state likely faces multiyear deficits, the Legislature might want to evaluate some the suspension items to ensure the programs are meeting their policy objectives.

January 29, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Extended Learning and Academic Support

Provides background on school closures and recent funding to address learning loss; assesses the Governor’s proposal to allocate $4.6 billion to schools to address student learning loss caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic; and makes recommendations for legislative consideration.

January 28, 2021 | Post

The 2021-22 Budget

Business Tax Incentives

Evaluates the Governor’s proposed changes to taxation to support businesses and makes recommendations to the Legislature based on two key factors: which level of government would forgo revenue and which businesses would receive assistance.

January 28, 2021 | Report

Increasing Oversight of the State Litigation Deposit Fund

Provides an overview of the Litigation Deposit Fund (LDF), a state special fund created to receive certain litigation proceeds; reviews the Legislature’s oversight of the LDF and the use of litigation proceeds; and makes recommendations to facilitate increased legislative oversight.

January 25, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Overview of Proposition 98 Budget Proposals

Analyzes the overall architecture of the Governor's plan for school and community college funding, including major spending proposals and underlying estimates of the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee.

January 22, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Small Business Grants

Assesses the Governor’s proposal to expand a recently created small business grants program by $575 million.

January 22, 2021 | Handout

The 2021-22 Budget

Golden State Stimulus

Provides an overview of the Governor’s budget proposal to provide a one-time $600 refund to certain low-income workers; evaluates the Governor’s proposal; and provides a more targeted alternative for the Legislature to consider.

January 19, 2021 | Post

How Has COVID‑19 Affected Renters and Homeowners?

Assesses how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected renters and homeowners; also provides an updated estimate of the total unpaid rental debt in California that has accumulated due to COVID-19.

January 5, 2021 | Report

A Framework for Evaluating State-Level Green Stimulus Proposals

Describes past economic stimulus initiatives, providing examples of efforts focused on environmental benefits; identifies key considerations for evaluating state‑funded green stimulus proposals, including the degree to which they are likely to provide significant (1) economic stimulus and (2) environmental benefits; concludes with recommendations for the Legislature on how to evaluate the merits of green stimulus proposals, along with steps that might be taken to collect additional information that could aid such assessments.

December 18, 2020 | Budget and Policy Post

California Community Colleges—Managing Cash in a Time of State Payment Deferrals

Provides background on community college cash flow and cash management; describes deferrals included in the state’s 2020-21 budget package; explains how deferrals are being implemented; discusses how community college districts are responding; and presents options for the Legislature to consider.

November 10, 2020 | Budget and Policy Post

An Analysis of University Reserves

Provides high-level analysis of reserves at the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC); describes the segments’ reserve policies, examines their reserve levels, highlights recent developments, and discusses issues for legislative consideration.

November 10, 2020 | Budget and Policy Post

An Analysis of University Cash Management Issues

Analyzes cash management issues at the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC); compares cash flow, examines how the state and universities invest their cash, and summarizes how the universities helped the state with its cash management during the Great Recession; concludes by identifying cash issues that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing related issues for legislative consideration.

Update on COVID-19 Spending in California

November 5, 2020

Provides a high-level summary of state and federal funds provided to date to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); discusses spending authorities, funding sources, and the amounts of spending authorized so far.

The 2020-21 Budget

Labor Agreements to Achieve Budgetary Savings

September 9, 2020

Provides historical record of all the labor agreements between the state and its employees to reduce state costs in 2020-21 and—in most cases—2021-22; provides comments and recommendations to help the Legislature think through future decisions to reduce employee compensation should the budget problem persist beyond 2021-22.

What Threat Does Sea-Level Rise Pose to California?

August 10, 2020

Describes available research on how rising seas threaten California’s coast in seven categories: public infrastructure, private property, vulnerable communities, natural resources, drinking and agricultural water supplies, toxic contamination, and economic disruption.

Improving California's Response to the Environmental and Safety Hazards Caused by Abandoned Mines

August 4, 2020

Describes historical mining practices, the risks AMLs pose to the environment, the coordination across the many state and federal agencies to address AML issues, and laws and programs governing the remediation of AMLs.

Review of the Draft 2020 High-Speed Rail Business Plan

March 13, 2020

Provides an overview of the high‑speed rail project, describes the major features of the draft 2020 business plan, identifies key oversight issues for the Legislature to consider, and provides options at this critical decision point.

Analysis of California’s Physician-Supervision Requirement for Certified Nurse Midwives

March 11, 2020

Analyzes the impact that removing California’s current physician‑supervision requirement for nurse midwives would have on health care outcomes and access to care for mothers and their infant.

Excess ERAF: A Review of the Calculations Affecting School Funding

March 6, 2020

Identifies concerns about the calculation of excess ERAF and oversight; provides recommendations to the Legislature about enforcement and oversight.