The 2026-27 Budget: CalWORKs

Feb 18, 2026 - Finally, the state can transfer up to 10  percent of its annual TANF block grant to the SSBG, to be used for a variety of purposes, such as providing developmental services through Regional Centers. TANF and Related MOE Spending Involve More Than Just CalWORKs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5122

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Welfare

Mar 3, 2026 - What do youth and families view as the most notable results or effects of the funding? What have been obstacles, challenges, or delays to implementation? To what extent and how have DSS and program partners been able to address these issues?
https://lao.ca.gov/publications/report/5147

The 2026-27 Budget: County Administration and H.R. 1 Implementation

Mar 5, 2026 - What role do county policies and processes and the design and operation of automation and data systems play in determining the state ’s error rates in each program? Do some counties have significantly higher or lower error rates than others and are there practices or other circumstances that contribute to this  variation?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5149

The 2026-27 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 18, 2026 - For more information on the 2017 IHSS MOE, please refer to our 2018 post titled: Recent Changes to State and County IHSS Wage and Benefit Costs . 2019 IHSS MOE. In 2019, DOF found that 1991  Realignment could no longer support the county costs of IHSS.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5166

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

Mar 6, 2026 - We find that designating the vast majority of private activity bonds for this purpose, as CDLAC has done, is consistent with good public policy given (1)  the state ’s priority to support more affordable housing and that (2)  doing so unlocks federal funding via the 4   percent tax credits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5154

Implementing California’s Child Welfare Prevention Services Program

Jan 28, 2026 - Finally, FFPSA requires states to ensure that at least 50  percent of Title IV ‑E funding received for prevention services goes toward well ‑supported programs. (By choosing all well ‑supported programs, California is guaranteed to meet this  requirement.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5106

The 2026-27 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 18, 2026 - Finally, we provide an update on estimates for the Legislature ’s previous action to expand CFAP to undocumented immigrants in 2027-28. Background CalFresh and CFAP CalFresh Provides Federally Funded Nutrition Assistance to Low-Income Californians.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5126

The 2026-27 Budget: Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program

Mar 3, 2026 - The 2027 federal poverty guidelines will not be finalized until fall 2026. Current Year General Fund Costs Include a Technical, Downward Adjustment, But Budget Year Costs Increase. At the time of the 2025 May Revision, the administration had estimated that the Social Security Administration (SSA) had overcharged the state for SSI/SSP services and administration —resulting in increased General Fund costs of over $60  million in 2024-25.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5148