March 17, 2023 - This post provides an overview of the information technology projects in the Governor’s proposed 2023-24 budget, provides our assessment of topics common to several proposals, and offers options for legislative consideration.
November 29, 2022 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments
March 14, 2019 - In this post, we describe how the California Department of Technology’s (CDT) information technology (IT) project approval process—known as the Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL)—does not always align with the state’s annual budget process. We identify seven funding requests in the Governor’s 2019-20 proposed budget for IT project proposals that are currently in various stages of the PAL process. We then describe how these requests for project funding prior to the completion of the PAL planning process may inhibit the Legislature from fully realizing the anticipated benefits of the PAL process, discuss how some project-specific factors can cause misalignment of the budget cycle and PAL, and provide issues for legislative consideration.
March 7, 2025 - This post provides issues for legislative consideration, as well as questions for the Legislature to ask, ahead of an expected May Revision budget proposal to fund development and implementation of the California State Payroll System information technology project.
February 17, 2017 - In recent years, the California Department of Technology has begun implementing a new IT project approval process—known as the Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL)—with the goal of helping to bolster project planning and reducing the likelihood of project challenges or failure. Although the PAL process has the potential to improve the quality of IT project implementation in theory, we raise a number of issues for the Legislature to consider as it exercises oversight of this new process. First, the merits of providing funding for IT project planning proposals should be determined on a case-by-case basis, and we note a few issues the Legislature may want to consider when determining whether to support a request for IT project planning funds. Additionally, we identify these funding requests for PAL-related planning activities as an early opportunity for the Legislature to weigh in on the potential project. Finally, we find that the Legislature could increase its oversight of the PAL process by (1) building in additional oversight methods when approving budget requests and (2) considering an evaluation of the actual benefits of the new project approval process.
March 26, 2021 - 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, and makes associated recommendations.
February 20, 2020 - This report provides an overview of the proposed and approved IT projects in the Governor’s proposed 2020-21 budget. We first provide relevant background information on the state’s IT project approval process, approaches to development and implementation of projects once approved, maintenance and operation of IT systems once completed, and requirements for state government entities to request resources for projects through the budget process. We then identify and summarize the budget requests to plan proposed projects and to develop and implement projects (whether proposed or approved).
February 2, 2021 - This post discusses 2021-22 Governor’s Budget proposals for the State Controller’s Office and the California Department of Human Resources to continue planning a replacement for the state’s current payroll system—the proposed California State Payroll System information technology project.
February 28, 2017 - The State Controller’s Office (SCO) has recently renewed its effort to replace the state’s payroll system. In this year’s budget, the Governor proposes $3 million to begin an analysis of proposed alternatives for replacing the system. It makes sense for the state to assess the potential problems, both in terms of functionality and stability, with the state’s payroll system and to explore solutions to these problems. The appropriate selection of a project alternative will be critical to the success of the future payroll project. As such, we recommend the Legislature require the SCO to present its full findings from the alternatives analysis before it is granted additional funding for subsequent analyses. This would provide the Legislature with a clear opportunity to provide meaningful input and weigh in with its own priorities for the payroll system before a solution is procured.
March 5, 2025 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s budget proposals for the California Community Colleges. It covers apportionments, enrollment growth, and various other ongoing and one-time proposals.
February 25, 2025 - The post assesses the adminstration's 2025-26 proposal for the fourth year of information technology (IT) modernization at the Employment Development Department (EDD). The portfolio, known as EDDNext, is now entering a critical phase, when aging IT systems that manage worker claims for Disability Insurance, Paid Family Leave, and Unemployment Insurance are to be replaced with new, integrated IT systems. Given this critical phase, as well as recent unscheduled changes and fund shifts within the EDDNext portfolio, we recommend the Legislature include stronger oversight tools going forward. These include: (1) remove extended encumbrance and expenditure deadlines; (2) add a notification period for the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to review final project documentation for the proposed Integrated Case Management System / Integrated Data Management IT project; (3) require the California Department of Technology to publish oversight reports every other month; and, (4) require EDD to provide quarterly legislative meetings.
October 2, 2024 - This post discusses features of the state's spending plan that were not covered elsewhere in the 2024-25 Spending Plan series.
March 5, 2025 - This brief provides a short summary of the Governor’s proposed budget for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) before addressing four issues that warrant legislative oversight: (1) quality incentives as part of service provider rate reform, (2) the Master Plan for Developmental Services, (3) DDS’s ongoing information technology project, and (4) the phaseout of subminimum wage employment.