The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Zero-Emission Vehicle Incentive

Feb 24, 2026 - Moreover, given the opaque nature of vehicle pricing, we expect that ensuring that incentives are passed on to consumers, rather than retained (at least to some degree) by manufacturers or vehicle dealers, will be difficult.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5140

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

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

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

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - After the dot-com bust and the Great Recession, it took four and five years, respectively, for revenues to recover. Incorporating revenue risk into the budget now, therefore, reflects prudence, not pessimism.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

The 2026-27 Budget: California Competes Extension

Mar 18, 2026 - In particular, the share of awards going to advanced manufacturing firms has greatly increased while the share going to professional services (for example, accounting, legal, and local business services) has significantly decreased.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5162

Oversight of certain public benefit artificial intelligence (AI) companies. [Ballot]

Jan 20, 2026 - The measure would have the following major fiscal effects: Increased state costs that would likely be in the tens of millions of dollars annually to establish and operate a new regulatory commission overseeing certain public benefit AI com panies.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2025-033

Middle Class Scholarship Program [EdBudget]

Feb 3, 2026 - Beginning in 2025-26, the state began funding the program in arrears, such that it will appropriate funding for 2025-26 costs in 2026-27 and appropriate funding for 2026-27 costs in 2027-28. a In addition to undergraduate students at UC and CSU, CCC students in bachelor's degree programs are eligible for Middle Class Scholarships. b CSAC used a different methodology to estimate
https://lao.ca.gov/Education/EdBudget/Details/1056

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

Feb 10, 2026 - California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire): Fixed ‑Wing Aircraft Mechanic and Pilot Contract Increases. The budget proposes $66.5  million General Fund in 2026 ‑27 and increasing amounts in subsequent years, growing to $74.2  million ongoing in 2030 ‑31, for CalFire to cover the increased costs of its air tanker and command center aircraft mechanic and pilot contracts.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposition 4 Spending Plan

Feb 10, 2026 - In addition, we find the administration ’s proposed control section to be reasonable, although the Legislature might benefit from receiving summary information about the degree to which the provisions are used.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5115

The 2026-27 Budget: Streamlining California’s Affordable Housing Funding System

Mar 6, 2026 - Another advantage is that it allows CDLAC and TCAC to retain their authority as technical administrators of a highly complex funding mechanism (private activity bonds and tax credits), rather than attempt to transfer those responsibilities to an entity under the Governor (HDFC) with no such experience or expertise.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5154