The 2026-27 Budget: California Education Learning Lab

Mar 25, 2026 - Learning Lab considers one of its key benefits that it fosters intersegmental collaboration across California ’s public higher education system. Learning Lab projects, however, are limited to a few faculty at a few campuses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5171

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 19, 2026 - The administration has yet to provide key details, such as grant amounts, the allowable uses of funding, and time lines for when funding would be awarded. We recommend the Legislature request additional information from the administration regarding key elements of the infrastructure grant proposal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5168

The 2026-27 Budget: Re-Envisioning State Education Governance

Mar 18, 2026 - This process would provide key legislative oversight for the selection of the education commissioner, as is currently the case with most other heads of state departments. Through the confirmation process, the Legislature could better understand the commissioner ’s credentials, past employment history, and key priorities for leading the department.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight

Mar 18, 2026 - We then discuss key findings about the current draft plan update, highlighting the potential benefits of VAs, key uncertainties about implementation of VAs, questions about the potential effectiveness of VAs or regulatory changes to protect native fish, and the urgency of board action.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2026-27 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 18, 2026 - We note that we are still working with the administration to better understand key aspects of the Governor ’s budget proposals for IHSS. As such, this brief includes our best understanding of the proposals as of March  16,  2026.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5166

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - Caseload Is a Key Contributor to Spending Growth. Total caseload (of Early Start and Lanterman caseload, excluding presumptive eligibility) has increased from about 280,000  individuals served in 2015 to about 460,000 individuals served in 2025.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

The 2026-27 Budget: Streamlining California’s Affordable Housing Funding System

Mar 6, 2026 - Also, HCD currently plays a key role in the review and implementation of AHSC, so it already has “in house ” knowledge of the program. Further, the intent is that this knowledge and program capacity will be transmitted to HDFC through the proposed position transfers from HCD  to HDFC.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5154

The 2026-27 Budget: California Community Colleges

Mar 5, 2026 - The key cost drivers for some categorical programs are employee ‑related, with costs rising as compensation increases. Some categorical programs also have enrollment ‑related cost drivers, with costs rising as the number of students eligible for the program increases.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5150