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July 11, 2025 - The final 2025-26 budget package approved by the Legislature maintained the May Revision level of savings in employee compensation and set an expectation for the administration and the state’s 21 bargaining units to meet and confer in good faith in order to achieve those savings through the collective bargaining process. To effectuate those savings, the budget package provided legislative ratification of any agreement that achieved budgetary savings and was entered into before the start of the 2025-26 fiscal year. In total, the administration and 19 of the state’s bargaining units were able to enter into agreements by midnight on June 30, 2025. The purpose of this analysis is to serve as a historical record of these legislatively ratified labor agreements with the 19 bargaining units.
July 10, 2025 - In this brief we review a once-narrow workers' compensation supplemental payment, known as the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund (SIBTF), that has looser standards, broader eligibility, and more generous benefits than the standard workers' compensation system. The program pays generous lifetime benefits to injured workers who also have pre-existing health issues. The program's use and associated employer costs have risen dramatically now that injured workers are able to access the state's most generous benefit ($1,700 per week for life) with claims that are often based on common pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, headaches, allergies, or sexual dysfunction.
June 27, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 9 (Professional Engineers). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
June 27, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 12 (Craft and Maintenance). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
June 23, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
May 19, 2025 - This is our analysis of the Governor’s May Revision proposal to (1) not fund scheduled pay increases to state employees established in ratified labor agreements and (2) authorize the Department of Finance (DOF) to impose reductions to employee compensation if collective bargaining agreements to achieve savings are not in place by July 1, 2025.
December 2, 2024 - CalFacts presents a wide range of facts and trends about the state's economy, finances, and programs.
August 23, 2024 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 5 (Highway Patrol). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
August 14, 2024 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 8 (Firefighters). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
August 14, 2024 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 10 (Professional Scientific). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
March 21, 2024 - In this post, we analyze the Governor's proposals to (1) use vacancy rates to identify one-time unallocated spending reductions across state departments through a budget exercise, (2) eliminate the telework stipend established under current labor agreements, and (3) defer June 2025 payroll by one day to reduce state payroll costs in 2024-25 by one month's payroll.
October 2, 2023 - Each year, our office publishes California Spending Plan, a series of publications that summarize the annual state budget. The final version of Overview of the California Spending Plan is presented here along with short online posts that focus on major areas and features of the 2023-24 budget package. As these posts become available, we will add them below.
September 7, 2023 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 7 (Protective Services and Public Safety). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
September 7, 2023 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 16 (Physicians, Dentists, and Podiatrists). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.