The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - The judicial branch currently manages around 430 facilities across all 58 counties. Its facility program is responsible for various activities including maintaining these facilities, managing leases, and constructing new courthouses to replace outdated facilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

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

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, the California Department of Health Care Access and Information in 2022 estimated that there would be a shortage of psychiatrists and behavioral health providers in all 58 California counties by 2025, with 27 prisons located in counties experiencing high or severe shortages.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Estimated State Savings From Proposition 47

Feb 23, 2026 - Proposition  47 further requires that monies in the SNSF be allocated as follows: (1)  65  percent to the Board of State and Community Corrections for mental health and substance use treatment, (2)  25  percent to the California Department of Education for school truancy and drop-out prevention, and (3)  10  percent to the California Victim Compensation Board for trauma recovery services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5108

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Given that it appears easier to recruit and retain mental health staff at some prisons relative to others, we recommend requiring CDCR report on the feasibility of concentrating —or clustering —the mental health population at the prisons where it is easiest to recruit and retain staff by January 10, 2027.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Justice

Feb 11, 2026 - We recommend the Legislature direct DOJ to provide a potential framework by January 10, 2027 for determining what firearm and ammunition workload should be funded by special fund fee revenues. In developing this framework, DOJ can evaluate its entire workload, the potential impact of FITSM and other actions that can help improve efficiency, and existing federal and state statu te and case law.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5118