Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, CDCR psychologists, according to the state Auditor, earn between $56 and $85 per hour —well above the average hourly rate paid in other states. According to 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, California is the highest paying state for psychologists with the average hourly wage at $64 per hour, whereas psychologists nationwide earned a median of $53 per hour (21  percent less).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Justice

Feb 11, 2026 - A large portion of the General Fund support is used to support the Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS) enforcement teams, which seize firearms from people prohibited from owning or possessing them.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5118

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - Without this funding to build or modify space to relocate the courtrooms into existing courthouses, service levels would be impacted. Finally, the Orange CJC project is already in progress and addresses key safety issues in a building with large numbers of people visiting on a daily basis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

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

Feb 23, 2026 - If this occurs, CDCR could have sufficient salary savings to pay these costs without the proposed dedicated  funding. Existence of Structural Shortfall Raises Broader Concerns. The department did not provide a detailed accounting of its structural shortfall.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137