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

Feb 17, 2026 - As such, reducing positions and expenditures could mean that funds —at least in the near term —end up sitting unused in account balances rather than supporting the activities that fee-payers have paid the state to undertake.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5124

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

Feb 10, 2026 - Given the continued uncertainty around cap ‑and ‑invest revenues, we recommend the Legislature closely monitor upcoming quarterly auctions —in February  and May 2026 —to assess how revenues are materializing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5114

The 2026-27 Budget: Permitting Support at the State Water Resources Control Board

Mar 2, 2026 - How Waters Are Defined Affects How They Are Regulated. Federal CWA requirements only apply to “waters of the United States ” (WOTUS), so the definition of WOTUS is important. The broader the definition, the more bodies of water will fall under federal jurisdiction —and vice versa.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5144

The 2026-27 Budget: California Public Utilities Commission’s Implementation of AB 1207

Feb 10, 2026 - Doing so would ensure its preferred approach is carried out. For example, if the Legislature would like households to receive fixed credits in specific, designated summer months, it could clari fy that guidance.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5120

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

Feb 10, 2026 - Finally, after it has identified what level of funding its budget can support, we suggest the Legislature think about revisiting the mix of how those resources are dedicated to prioritize the most important activities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

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

Feb 24, 2026 - However, doing so likely would require a much larger and/or longer ‑term investment than what the Governor is proposing (or what the state realistically could provide, given its budget limitations). Proposal Could Result in Program Duplication.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5140

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

Mar 18, 2026 - The other pathway —more traditionally regulatory —would apply to water users that do not choose to be part of the VA program. Key features of the two pathways include: VA Pathway Includes Flows and Habitat Projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposition 4 Spending Plan

Feb 10, 2026 - While the Legislature did approve some funding for a few of these activities in 2025 ‑26, notable discretion remains around how specifically the funds can and will be used. 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: Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation Proposals

Mar 19, 2026 - If it needs to provide less funding, the Legislature could also consider revisiting LCI ’s statutory requirements, time lines, and associated resource needs —for example, by reducing expectations around how the office should implement the CalHeatScore extreme heat ranking.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5167