The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight

Mar 18, 2026 - The  2018 amendment revised the salinity objective in the Southern Delta. …But Implementation Has Yet to Begin. SWRCB has delayed implementing 2018 phase one amendments for two related reasons: litigation and consideration of a VA.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2026-27 Budget: Permitting Support at the State Water Resources Control Board [Publication Details]

Mar 2, 2026 - In this post, we assess the Governor’s proposal for new positions and associated funding at the State Water Resources Control Board to manage increased workload stemming from a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5144

The 2026-27 Budget: Permitting Support at the State Water Resources Control Board

Mar 2, 2026 - Water quality is governed by the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and state Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Under CWA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes national standards and delegates authority to SWRCB and its nine regional water boards (collectively referred to as the water boards) to administer federal permitting programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5144

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Zero-Emission Vehicle Incentive

Feb 24, 2026 - As we discuss in our December 2018 report, Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Transportation , such challenges can include (1) program interactions that can affect cost‑effectiveness, (2) difficulty evaluating programs,(3) potential lack of program coordination, and (4) increased administrative costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5140

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

May 30, 2025 - CSM has identified four new state-reimbursable mandates since enactment of the 2024-25 Budget Act . All four concern municipal stormwater permits issued by regional water quality control boards and costs incurred by local governments prior to 2018.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5054

Cap-and-Invest: November 2025 Auction Update and 2026-27 Budget Context

Dec 9, 2025 - …Continuing to Come in Slightly Below 2025-26 Budget Act Assumptions. At the time the Legislature enacted the 2025-26 Budget Act , the Department of Finance (DOF) projected annual GGRF revenues of $3.5  billion for 2025-26, or roughly $870  million per quarter.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5096

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

May 5, 2025 - Maintains Mandate From January 1, 2018 Forward. Because the Governor ’s proposed suspension would only concern the historic time period in question, the permit requirements would remain in effect as of January 1, 2018 and until the regional board adopts a new permit.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5039

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

Feb 10, 2026 - Second, the 2025 ‑26 amounts similarly include notably more one ‑time bond funds —reflecting $1.3  billion more in total appropriated from Proposition  4 (2024) as compared to what is proposed in 2026 ‑27, as well as funds carried over from other bonds (such as Proposition  68 [2018]) from appropriations made in prior years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

The 2026-27 Budget: Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation Proposals

Mar 19, 2026 - California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Resources. The office coordinates the state-level guidance for and review of CEQA-related documents, including maintaining a statewide clearinghouse of CEQA environmental documents.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5167

Overview of New Updates to the Cap-and-Invest Program

Dec 9, 2025 - The legislation sets aside $1  billion annually to be appropriated by the Legislature through the annual budget act or other statute. It also expresses the Legislature ’s intent that some specific activities be funded from this $1  billion set aside in 2026 ‑27, as discussed in the nearby  box.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5097