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

Mar 18, 2026 - The last comprehensive update occurred in 1995 and largely guides management today. (The 1995  update concerned the entire Bay ‑Delta watershed and included substantive changes to water quality objectives for fish and wildlife beneficial uses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

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 2026-27 Budget: Re-Envisioning State Education Governance

Mar 18, 2026 - The state, however, was far less involved in the public school system than it is today. For example, elementary education did not become compulsory until 1874, and the state did not begin funding high schools until 1904.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2026-27 Budget: Community College Facilities

Mar 17, 2026 - The CCC Board of Governors adopted the current scoring system in September 2020. Scoring System Includes Three Project Categories. Under its current scoring system, the Chancellor ’s Office allocates available bond funding across three project categories: life safety, modernization, and growth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5159

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

Mar 9, 2026 - This dynamic may be especially notable today. The current run-up in stock prices is similarly concentrated in Silicon Valley technology companies, raising the risk of an outsized revenue loss if that market corrects sharply.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

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

Mar 9, 2026 - This dynamic may be especially notable today. The current run-up in stock prices is similarly concentrated in Silicon Valley technology companies, raising the risk of an outsized revenue loss if that market corrects sharply.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

The 2026-27 Budget: County Administration and H.R. 1 Implementation

Mar 5, 2026 - To what extent are realignment funds used to support CalFresh administration today versus other county funds? How will increased county costs for CalFresh administration under H.R.  1 affect efforts to reduce payment error rates?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5149

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

Feb 23, 2026 - We recommended that the Licensing Program be funded exclusively through license fees, which is how it is funded today. LAO Recommendations Approach Proposals as Pieces of a Bigger Policy Puzzle. Cannabis and tobacco compliance present an ongoing policy challenge for the Legislature.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

The 2026-27 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 23, 2026 - This brief provides our analysis of the Governor’s 2026-27 budget proposals related to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - The administration ind icates it plans to modify this part of the proposal in the May Revision and may allow funds to be used for a broader set of activities related to community  schools. Effects of Community Schools Model Research Finds Benefits to Community Schools Model.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131