The 2026-27 Budget: Re-Envisioning State Education Governance

Mar 18, 2026 - Introduction California operates the nation ’s largest public school system, comprising 937 school districts, 1,257 charter schools, and 58 county offices of education. This year, these local agencies will educate nearly 5.8  million students, employ around 700,000 teachers and staff, and spend nearly $150  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

The 2026-27 Budget: California State University

Feb 24, 2026 - From 2019 ‑20 to 2024 ‑25, CSU ’s debt service for state ‑approved projects grew from $295  million to $365  million (23  percent). (These amounts include debt service on university bonds as well as state bonds issued before 2014 ‑15.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5142

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

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, the California Department of Health Care Access and Information in 2022 estimated that there would be a shortage of psychiatrists and behavioral health providers in all 58 California counties by 2025, with 27 prisons located in counties experiencing high or severe shortages.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - The judicial branch currently manages around 430 facilities across all 58 counties. Its facility program is responsible for various activities including maintaining these facilities, managing leases, and constructing new courthouses to replace outdated facilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - After the dot-com bust and the Great Recession, it took four and five years, respectively, for revenues to recover. Incorporating revenue risk into the budget now, therefore, reflects prudence, not pessimism.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

Oversight of certain public benefit artificial intelligence (AI) companies. [Ballot]

Jan 20, 2026 - The measure would have the following major fiscal effects: Increased state costs that would likely be in the tens of millions of dollars annually to establish and operate a new regulatory commission overseeing certain public benefit AI com panies.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2025-033

Time limits, environmental reviews, and judicial reviews for certain types of infrastructure projects. [Ballot]

Dec 10, 2025 - For ex ample, it would allow lead agencies 90 business days to determine if a project is exempt from environmental review and 365 business days to determine whether to certify an EIR. Sec ond, the measure provides the project applicant with options should the lead agency fail to meet the time limits.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2025-023

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program Review

Dec 2, 2025 - In 2023 ‑24, for example, 85 of 150  mandatory reporters (57  percent) met the DVBE participation goal while 58 (39  percent) did not. (Seven, or 5  percent, made no reportable awards.) Ensuring Only Eligible Vendors Participate Has Been a Focus Ensuring That Only Eligible Vendors Participate Has Been an Historical Challenge With Violations Ranging From Inadvertent to Fraudulent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5095