The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 22, 2021 - The ARP Act allows states to draw down enhanced federal funding for HCBS funded through the Medicaid program, provided that states spend the additional federal funding on HCBS program enhancements. Under this provision of the ARP Act, California is eligible to draw down an estimated additional $3  billion in federal Medicaid funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4476/1

Home Prices Update: May 2021 [EconTax Blog]

Jun 24, 2021 - All the other large counties in the state are up at least 10 percent, and all but three of those are up at least 15 percent. Source: Zillow
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/668

The 2022-23 Budget: The Governor’s Homelessness Plan [Publication Details]

Feb 9, 2022 - This brief provides an update on some major recent state budget actions related to homelessness, describes the Governor’s homelessness budget proposals, and raises issues for the Legislature’s consideration.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4521

The 2021-22 May Revision: Golden State Stimulus 2

May 18, 2021 - In recognition of this, the state included payments for undocumented workers in the Golden State Stimulus program discussed below. State Issued First Round of Stimulus Checks Earlier This Year. As part of the early action budget agreement, Chapter  8 of 2021 (SB  88, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), the state enacted its own stimulus payment program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4435

Juvenile dependency proceedings. [Ballot]

Jun 17, 2021 - In addition, some or all of the county costs resulting from increased workload could potentially be shifted to the state. This is beca use the California Constitution generally requires that the state fund child welfare-related cost increases resulting from state legislation.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2021-004

Building Permits Update: August 2021 [EconTax Blog]

Oct 6, 2021 - Single family activity has rebounded since last spring ’s pandemic-driven slump, as prices have risen sharply in most of the state. The Inland Empire, Sacramento, and Los Angeles metro areas had the most permits in that order and collectively accounted for nearly half the state total, which is the typical pattern.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/703

A Review of Child Care and Preschool Program Flexibilities in Certain Counties

May 13, 2021 - Background State Law and Regulations Govern State Subsidized Child Care and Preschool Programs. The state subsidizes child care and preschool programs for an estimated 437,000 children. The state determines many programmatic aspects, such as who is eligible for the programs and how much providers receive for reimbursement.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4431

COVID-19: American Rescue Plan’s Major Health-Related Funding Provisions

May 6, 2021 - Opting in would bring new state (as well as federal) costs of an unknown amount. However, a portion of any new state costs likely would be offset by state savings from the federal government beginning to share in the cost of the extended postpartum coverage that the state currently offers to women with mental health conditions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4425

What Can We Learn From How the State Responded to the Last Major Drought?

May 13, 2021 - What Can We Learn From How the State Responded to the Last Major Drought? What Can We Learn From How the State Responded to the Last Major Drought? Summary For the second consecutive year, the state is experiencing extremely low rates of precipitation.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4429

June 2021 Jobs Report [EconTax Blog]

Jul 16, 2021 - The figure below shows how employment has evolved in both the state and the nation since the start of the pandemic. Overall employment in the state as of the middle of June  was 7.0 percent below the level of February 2020, considerably worse than the national figure of 4.4 percent.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/678