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: Proposed Elimination of State Environmental Positions

Feb 17, 2026 - 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 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Zero-Emission Vehicle Incentive

Feb 24, 2026 - Key Program Details Are Lacking, Making a Thorough Assessment Impossible … The  administration has not yet determined key details on the proposed program ’s structure, such as the duration of the program, the number of incentives to be provided, or the amount of each incentive.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5140

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposition 4 Spending Plan

Feb 10, 2026 - As such, these proposed appropriations represent a key opportunity for the Legislature to articulate its priorities and provide guidance about how specifically these funds will be spent, to the degree it has any.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5115

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

Feb 10, 2026 - A few key reasons explain these year ‑over ‑year changes. First, the 2024 ‑25 and 2025 ‑26 totals include significant one ‑time General Fund spending that the state dedicated for these departments a few years ago when it had surpluses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

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

Feb 10, 2026 - Moreover, while one key near‑term source of program uncertainty was resolved with its statutory extension, some remaining factors could potentially still create a heightened level of revenue unpredictability in the next couple of years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5114

The 2026-27 Budget: Governor’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit Proposal

Feb 24, 2026 - A key advantage of SAF is that, due to its chemical similarity to conventional jet fuel, it can be used in place of traditional fuel without modifications to aircraft engines or infrastructure. Conversely, a major barrier to the use of SAF is its relatively high production cost, resulting in prices that are generally at least twice those for conventional jet fuel.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5139