New Infrastructure Legislation: Summary and Issues for Legislative Oversight

Aug 8, 2023 - Sunsets Caltrans ’ expanded authority to use job order contracting for specified maintenance and other activities expires on December 31, 2033. CalSTA ’s NEPA delegation authority expires on December 31, 2033.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4785

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Resources and Environmental Protection

Oct 10, 2022 - This increase primarily is due to $58  million provided for the department in the Wildfire and Forest Resilience and Nature-Based Solutions packages (discussed in the “Crosscutting Issues ” section of this post), as well as the augmentations discussed below.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4633

The 2025-26 Budget: State Mandates—Regional Water Quality Control Boards

May 30, 2025 - Additional details about the mandate are as follows: Time Period in Question: November 10, 2010 to December 31, 2017. CSM ’s Estimated Statewide Cost to Reimburse Local Governments: Between $238,301 and $334,104.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5054

The 2026-27 Budget: Framework for Approaching the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture Budget

Feb 10, 2026 - The budget proposes $9.3  million General Fund and 31  positions (and a similar amount ongoing) to open the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Museum, a significant new addition to the Science Center in Expo Park recently constructed largely using private funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Oct 18, 2021 - The state previously provided a combined $58  million for this project in 2018 ‑19 and 2019 ‑20. Long Beach Tidelands Oil Revenues. Budget trailer legislation includes language governing revenues generated from oil and gas production in the tidelands off the coast of Long Beach.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4463

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Oct 16, 2025 - This program supports coordinators in 47 of 58 counties who work with local organizations and residents to improve community wildfire preparedness through education, events, and grant funding. Home Hardening Program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5080

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

May 5, 2025 - The Governor ’s budget proposes suspending several requirements in the regional board ’s municipal stormwater permit for the June 1, 2009 through December 31, 2017 period. CSM determined these requirements were state-reimbursable mandates for that time frame.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5039

The 2025-26 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Expenditure Plan

Feb 12, 2025 - We estimate that even if allowance prices continue to trail the 2024 ‑25 Budget Act ’s assumptions, if they remain at comparable levels to the past two auctions (roughly $31), GGRF likely will be able to continue to support the expenditures that currently are planned for 2024 ‑25.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4960

Frequently Asked Questions About Wildfires in California

Jan 28, 2025 - Enforces defensible space requirements in the “State Responsibility Area ” (SRA, which includes over 31 million acres of mostly privately owned forestlands). Oversees enforcement of state timber harvesting policies on private lands.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4952

The 2024-25 Budget: Crafting Climate, Resources, and Environmental Budget Solutions

Feb 14, 2024 - Estimates of the magnitude of this shortfall differ based on how “baseline” spending is defined—the administration estimates a $38 billion problem whereas in January our office estimated that the Governor’s budget addresses a $58 billion problem—as well as somewhat different revenue projections.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4841