The 2025-26 Budget: State Mandate—Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board

May 5, 2025 - Because the California Constitution does not require the state to reimburse local governments for costs to comply with federal law, disagreements have arisen over the years about whether all of the requirements in a given water quality permit are specifically required by federal law or whether they impose ad ditional requirements from the state.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5039

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Housing, Homelessness and Local Government

Oct 22, 2025 - Authorizes New Statewide Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation “Bank. ” In addition, the budget package creates a new option for developers, at the discretion of the local public agency, to meet their transportation-related CEQA requirements for projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5082

The 2025-26 Budget: State Mandates—Regional Water Quality Control Boards

May 30, 2025 - In particular, state law directs our office to report on the annual state costs for new mandates and make recommendations to the Legislature as to whether the new mandate should be repealed (permanently eliminating it or making it optional), suspended (rendering it inoperative for one year), modified, or funded in the annual Budget Act.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5054

The 2016-17 Budget: Local Government Mandates--Reasonable Reimbursement Methodology

Mar 17, 2016 - In 1979, voters passed Proposition 4, which added a requirement to the California Constitution that local governments be reimbursed for new programs or higher levels of service that the state imposes on them.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3395

The 2023-24 Budget: County of Los Angeles Citizens Redistricting Commission Mandate

May 2, 2023 - Because the Legislature took specific steps to require Los Angeles to use an independent redistricting commission while making it optional for other jurisdictions, no longer requiring such a commission in Los Angeles would represent a significant policy change.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4766

The 2018-19 Budget: County Assessor Funding

Feb 15, 2018 - To determine if existing employees experienced a change in productivity, DOF would compare the value added by existing employees during years the county receives SSCAP funding to a baseline year (2017 ‑18).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3756

Post Election Manual Tally Mandate

Jan 13, 2016 - LAO Comments Post Election Manual Tally Mandate Would Be Added to Backlog. Under the Governor ’s proposal, county costs related to this mandate would be added to the existing backlog for mandate claims.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3327

Sheriff Court-Security Services Mandate

May 27, 2016 - LAO Comments Sheriff Court-Security Services Mandate Would Be Added to Backlog. Under the Governor ’s proposal, county costs related to this mandate would be added to the existing backlog for mandate claims.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3478

The 2022-23 Budget: Municipal Stormwater and Urban Runoff Discharges Mandate

Feb 28, 2022 - The  state has exhausted its legal options for challenging this particular mandate decision. We therefore recommend the Legislature approve the proposal and fund this mandate, consistent with state law.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4565

The 2019-20 May Revision: Opportunity Zones

May 11, 2019 - This added complexity could create increased administrative burdens for builders, lenders, and government agencies tasked with funding affordable housing. Added complexity also could open the possibility of unintended consequences or misuse of funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4038