California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - The current discrepancy over the size of the state ’s budget deficit —$18  billion under the Legislative Analyst ’s Office estimate versus $3  billion in the Governor ’s budget —fits squarely within that pattern.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

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

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

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog]

Feb 18, 2026 - Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog] Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) February 18, 2026 Seth Kerstein Beginning July 2024, Chapter 231 of 2023 (AB 28, Gabriel) imposed an 11 percent excise tax on retail sales of firearms, firearm precursor parts, and ammunition, with some exemptions.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/849

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog]

Feb 18, 2026 - Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog] Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) February 18, 2026 Seth Kerstein Beginning July 2024, Chapter 231 of 2023 (AB 28, Gabriel) imposed an 11 percent excise tax on retail sales of firearms, firearm precursor parts, and ammunition, with some exemptions.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/849

Artificial intelligence and child safety. [Ballot]

Jan 27, 2026 - For example, under the measure, providers must implement technology to estimate whether a user is a child (under the age of 18) or an adult and, when a user ’s age cannot be estimated, to apply default protective safeguards.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2025-036

The 2026-2027 Budget: California Cannabis Control Appeals Panel Permanent Funding Request

Feb 11, 2026 - CCAP first received funding in 2017-18 on a three-year, limited-term basis. This included $964,000 from the Cannabis Control Fund (CCF), which receives reven ue largely from fees paid by cannabis licensees, and ten positions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5119

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - This amount consists of funds that are encumbered ($152  million), statutorily excluded ($124  million), designated for prepayments or other purposes ($16  million), or held by Judicial Council on behalf of the trial courts for specific projects ($18  million).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

The 2026-27 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 12, 2026 - Governor’s Budget Roughly Balanced on Higher Revenues In November, We Anticipated the State Faced an $18   Billion Deficit. In our November Fiscal Outlook report, we estimated that the state faced an $18  billion budget problem.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101