June 26, 2019 - This report presents our assessment of the State Bar as required by Business and Professions Code Section 6145. Specifically, our analysis focuses on evaluating the portion of the annual licensing fee charged to attorneys that is deposited into the State Bar’s General Fund and the State Bar’s request for a fee increase in 2020.
April 1, 1988 - In order to assist the Legislature in its review process, this report analyzes two expenditure plans proposed by the bar in pending legislation. Our analysis examines each expenditure plan separately. The first chapter, which describes the expenditures proposed in conjunction with AB 4391, includes expenditures from the bar's General Fund and six special funds. The second chapter, which details the expenditures proposed in support of SB 1498, focuses on the proposed enhancements to the discipline program. The Appendix identifies the combined support of both proposals on the level of bar members' fees from 1989 through 1991.
September 22, 2022 - This report provides background on the provision of indigent defense in California, discusses existing indigent defense service levels, and makes recommendations to improve the state's oversight of indigent defense.
December 19, 1991 - A Review of the State Bar Court
March 10, 2014 - Presented to Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee and Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection Committee
April 30, 2018 - In this post, we provide an overview of how the state reviews teacher misconduct cases, track the backlog of cases, describe the actions the state has taken to reduce the backlog, and assess progress made to date. We encourage the Legislature to continue monitoring progress toward reducing the backlog closely over the coming year.
February 25, 2016 - In this post, we provide recommendations on the following Department of Consumer Affairs budget proposals for 2016-17: (1) Acupuncture Board—Curriculum Review and Licensing and (2) Department of Justice Staffing.
February 22, 1995 - Analysis of the 1995-96 Budget Bill, Judiciary and Criminal Justice Chapter
February 24, 2005 - Analysis of the 2005-06 Budget Bill, Judiciary and Criminal Justice Chapter
February 11, 2021 - This publication provides an overview of the Governor's 2021-22 January budget proposals for the Department of Conservation, including resources for the California Geologic Energy Management Division's regulatory oversight and enforcement, public transparency, and implementation of legislation.
April 27, 2006 - State law establishes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and entrusts it with accrediting teacher preparation programs, credentialing teachers, and monitoring teacher conduct. In this report, we describe each of these three teacher-quality functions, identify related shortcomings, and propose various recommendations for overcoming them. The recommendations seek to simplify existing teacher-quality processes, reduce redundancies, strengthen accountability, and foster greater coherence among education reforms. Taken as a package, these recommendations would improve how the state ensures teacher quality and eliminate CTC.
May 12, 2009 - In this report, we identify a number of deficiencies in the Department of Real Estate’s Licensing and Education Program and their Enforcement and Recovery Program. Our recommendations would tighten existing educational requirements, increase licensee accountability for violations of the real estate law, improve department accountability for program outcomes, and expand consumer access to—as well as oversight of—the Recovery Account. (Short video summary.)
March 1, 2016 - We are uncertain if the administration’s budget proposals will provide the Public Employment Relations Board the resources it needs to address the existing backlog in processing cases. We recommend that the Legislature (1) determine how fast cases should be addressed by the board and then (2) ask PERB and affected groups questions in order to understand what level of funding and staffing is necessary to process cases within the desired amount of time.