Updating the California Necessities Index

Aug 14, 2025 - To score well on this assessment, the average of the differences across years should be small. It  is also important that these differences be symmetric: a new measure should minimize the extent to which changes are consistently higher or lower than the current CNI.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5065

The 2026-27 Budget: CDTFA’s Cannabis and Tobacco Programs

Feb 23, 2026 - Flavor Ban. In a November 2022 referendum, voters approved Chapter  34 of 2020 (SB  793, Hill), which bans most sales of flavored tobacco products. ( “Flavored ” refers to non ‑tobacco flavors, such as menthol cigarettes or fruit ‑flavored e ‑cigarettes.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

Updating the California Necessities Index [Publication Details]

Aug 14, 2025 - Recent changes were made to the publication of statistics required to calculate the California Necessities Index, which is used to adjust certain benefit rates and cost-of-living adjustments. In this brief, we provide details on the changes and evaluate alternatives for the index that require only currently available data and conform to the original intent of the index.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5065

The 2025-26 Budget: CDTFA’s Tobacco Programs

Feb 14, 2025 - This suggests that the annual revenue loss from the flavor ban might be around $300  million to $400  million. Interpretation of Revenue Loss Unclear. Under the flavor ban, people who otherwise would consume flavored tobacco have three main options: (1)  avoid tobacco use altogether, (2)  switch to unflavored tobacco products, or (3)  obtain flavored tobacco from
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4966

The 2026-27 Budget: CDTFA’s Cannabis and Tobacco Programs [Publication Details]

Feb 23, 2026 - In this post, we discuss three Governor’s budget proposals for the Department of Tax and Fee Administration’s (CDTFA’s) cannabis and tobacco programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5132

The 2022-23 Budget: Supply Chain and Port Infrastructure Proposals

Feb 15, 2022 - Short ‑Term vs. Long ‑Term Strategies. The  current supply chain disruptions are the result of both short ‑term issues, such as greater consumer demand, as well as long ‑term issues, such as the capacity and resilience of the goods movement system.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4540

How High? Adjusting California’s Cannabis Taxes

Dec 17, 2019 - The latter types score better on this criterion than the former. Administration and Compliance. To score well on this criterion, a tax should be relatively straightforward for tax administrators and taxpayers to implement and enforce.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4125

The 2020-21 Budget: Taxation of E-Cigarettes

Feb 24, 2020 - For example, if the state bans flavored e ‑cigarettes, the tax rate need to achieve a given reduction in youth vaping likely would be lower than if the state does not enact a flavor ban. Recommend Revisiting Rate Frequently.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4171

The 2026-27 Budget: California Competes Extension

Mar 18, 2026 - Complementing this, another study compared similarly scored applicants where one received a credit and the other did not and found that recipient firms subsequently increased employment and payroll in California relati ve to otherwise similar firms that narrowly missed receiving an award. 2018 Changes to Program Could Impact Employment Effects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5162

The 2018-19 Budget: California Competes Proposal

Feb 21, 2018 - An applicant that requests a smaller tax credit —holding constant the proposed amount of hiring and investment —receives a higher score. Only the highest scoring applicants move on to the second stage.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3759