The 2025-26 Budget: State Mandate—Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board

May 5, 2025 - This mandate is one of four newly identified mandates since enactment of the 2024-25 Budget Act . We will assess the other three mandates —also related to stormwater permits —after the administration proposes a course of action, potentially in the Governor ’s revised budget proposal in May.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5039

Overview of Diversity Efforts in the Film Tax Credit Program

May 1, 2025 - Overview of Diversity Efforts in the Film Tax Credit Program Introduction In recent years, the Legislature has modified the state ’s film tax credit in an effort to increase the diversity of the motion picture workforce.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5036

The 2025-26 Budget: Scholarshare Investment Board

Apr 30, 2025 - The other campaign targeted high school seniors (who may be about to enter college) through social media, p aid advertisements, and mail campaigns to school districts. From the three media campaigns, SIB learned that the targeted high school campaign had the most success as it led to a 63  percent increase in the number of accounts claimed by high school seniors from February 2024 to May 2024.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5035

Preliminary Assessment of Significant Changes to State's Technology Project Approval and Oversight Processes

Apr 29, 2025 - We recommend the reporting be provided no later than the end of th e calendar year, to inform the next annual budget process and any potential requests for funding for subsequent GenAI POCs and MVPs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5034

The 2025-26 Budget: SB 678 County Probation Grant Program

Apr 11, 2025 - The state allocated a total of $123.8  million each year from 2021-22 through 2023-24, and $117.1  million in 2024-25. Under current law, the hold will expire and the modified formula would again be used starting in 2025-26.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5031

Rethinking California's Reserve Policy [Publication Details]

Apr 10, 2025 - Over the last few years, the state has indeed experienced significant fluctuations—large surpluses followed by significant deficits. This volatility has prompted interest in changes to the state’s reserve policy.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5028

Rethinking California's Reserve Policy

Apr 10, 2025 - Since 2014, the state has suspended and made withdrawals from the BSA in two years: 2020 ‑21 and 2024 ‑25. In addition, there is a withdrawal planned for 2025 ‑26 under legislative action taken last year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5028

Improving Legislative Oversight of Emergency Authorities

Apr 10, 2025 - Many Proclamations Stay Open for at Least a Few Years. A total of 242 of the 295 states of emergency proclaimed between the beginning of Governor Schwarzenegger ’s term in November  2003 through December 2024 had been terminated by the end of 2024.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5029

California New Car Registrations: February 2025 [EconTax Blog]

Apr 8, 2025 - From December 2024 to February 2025, seasonally adjusted new car registrations declined by 8 percent. December registrations, however, had been the highest since mid-2022. As a result, February registrations still were around the average level over the last couple of years.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/826

California New Car Registrations: February 2025 [EconTax Blog]

Apr 8, 2025 - From December 2024 to February 2025, seasonally adjusted new car registrations declined by 8 percent. December registrations, however, had been the highest since mid-2022. As a result, February registrations still were around the average level over the last couple of years.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/826