The 2017-18 Budget: Resources and Environmental Protection

Feb 15, 2017 - In this report, we assess many of the Governor's 2017-18 budget proposals in the resources and environmental protection areas and recommend various changes. We provide a complete listing of our recommendations at the end of this report.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3558

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Elimination of State Environmental Positions

Feb 17, 2026 - For example, at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), positions include game wardens who prov ide important law enforcement and wildlife and resource protection services. Some CDFW positions also administer various permits, a key function to ensure that projects —from habitat restoration to infrastructure and housing development —can be completed with less damage to the environment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5124

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

Mar 18, 2026 - While VAs can result from litigation, they differ from regular court orders or traditional top ‑down regulations in that the affected parties negotiate a settlement to try to achieve agreed ‑upon objectives.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2026-27 Budget: Cap-and-Invest Expenditure Plan

Feb 10, 2026 - By including funding for state operations in Tier 1, they are taken “off the top ” before allocations are computed for nearly all other activities. The main implication of this approach is that any activities that are added to this category essentially result in less funding available to support programs in other tiers and a greater likelihood that Tier 3 programs may not receive their full statutory allotments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5114

The 2026-27 Budget: Framework for Approaching the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture Budget

Feb 10, 2026 - Adequate staffing for the museum will allow it to open to the public on time and with the appropriate maintenance, especially as the number of visitors to Expo Park increases in advance of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

Living Under Smoky Skies—Understanding the Challenges Posed by Wildfire Smoke in California

Nov 14, 2022 - For example, one 2022 study found a relationship between wildfire smoke levels and poorer cognitive performance on a brain‑training game, and another 2022 study found a link between smoke exposure and lower test scores.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4644

The 2023-24 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Expenditure Plan and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Revenue Estimates

Mar 2, 2023 - After accounting for the continuous appropriations and off-the-top allocations, our estimates project the state will have a total of about $800  million available in additional discretionary GGRF revenues from the current and budget years compared to the administration. 2022-23.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4730

The 2025-26 Budget: Natural Resources and Agriculture Discretionary Spending Proposals

Feb 18, 2025 - During its deliberations, we recommend that the Legislature (1)  view this proposal as a distinct set of projects and evaluate their merits independently of previously funded projects at the museum and (2)  consider whether improvements to nonstate ‑owned infrastructure are a top priority given current budget  constraints.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4967

Assessing Vulnerability of State Assets to Climate Change

Jan 9, 2020 - Second, focusing on only the top five facilities likely excludes some key department assets. For example, the California Department of Parks and Recreation identified the top five state parks and beaches most at risk from sea-level rise.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4133

Cap-And-Trade Auction Update and GGRF Projections

Dec 6, 2021 - This could be similar to the Legislature ’s action to allocate $200  million “off the top ” to forest health and wildfire prevention as part of the 2021 ‑22 budget agreement. The Legislature could also consider allocating a specific annual amount to each continuously appropriated program, rather than a set percentage of auction revenue.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4480