The 2026-27 Budget: Estimated State Savings From Proposition 47

Feb 23, 2026 - As shown in Figure  1, these estimates represent a $13  million (14  percent) and a 501 person (13  percent) decline relative to the 2023-24 savings, the year before Proposition  36 took effect. These declines primarily reflect the administration ’s estimate of the impact of Proposition  36 —which went into effect halfway through 2024-25.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5108

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Assess Effectiveness of Other Steps Before Considering Across ‑the ‑Board Pay Increases. We found that (1)  most mental health classifications appear to be relatively well paid compared to the broader market even before recent bonuses, (2)  other non ‑compensation factors appear to influence vacancy rates, (3)  the mental health Receiver plans to reassess whether
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

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

Feb 23, 2026 - To address chronic mental health staffing vacancies, we recommend the Legislature take the following  the  steps: Assess Effectiveness of Other Steps Before Considering Across ‑the ‑Board Pay Increases.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - The sizeable increase in funding raises questions on whether sufficient oversight was in place to appropriately assess the scope of work and costs before the project began. Sufficient oversight would ensure the Legislature has the information it needs as it weighs court facility projects against its other priorities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113