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

Mar 18, 2026 - Some notable examples of previous VAs include: (1)  the Quantification Settlement Agreement , adopted in 2003 to address longstanding disputes over Colorado River water rights and to reduce use of Colorado River water in California; (2)  the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement , agreed to in 2006 following an 18 ‑year legal dispute, with the goal of restoring fish
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

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

Dec 9, 2025 - (In our November 2025 publication, The 2026-27 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook , we estimate that the Legislature faces an almost $18 billion budget problem in 2026-27—and that estimate already assumes that GGRF and not the General Fund covers $1.25 billion of CalFire costs.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5096

Frequently Asked Questions About Wildfires in California

Jan 28, 2025 -  $25  million annually beginning in 2017 ‑18 to pre ‑position mutual aid fire engines and other related equipment in order to decrease local response times to potentially destructive wildfires and other disasters.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4952

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

Oct 16, 2025 - The budget includes a total of $2  million in 2025-26 from the Cost of Implementation Account (rising to $4  million ongoing) and 18 permanent positions to continue implementing Chapter  359 of 2022 (SB  905, Caballero), which was originally supported with limited-term resources.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5080

The 2023-24 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2023 - We Estimate the Governor Solved an $18   Billion Budget Problem. We estimate the Governor ’s budget addressed an $18  billion budget problem. This is somewhat lower than the $22  billion budget problem the administration has referenced.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4662

The 2024-25 Budget: Salton Sea Management Program

Feb 26, 2024 - The 2024-25 Budget: Salton Sea Management Program Summary The Governor ’s budget proposes $65.2  million from the General Fund in 2024 ‑25 to support the Salton  Sea Management Program (SSMP) and authority for 18 new positions phased in over two years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4859

The 2024-25 Budget: Insolvency Risks for Environmental and Transportation Special Funds

Feb 27, 2024 - Between 2018 ‑19 and 2023 ‑24, MVA revenues have increased by $714  million (18  percent) while expenditures have increased by about $1  billion (26  percent). Since 2021 ‑22, annual expenditures have exceeded yearly revenues, resulting in a structural imbalance.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4858

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Resources and Environmental Protection

Sep 12, 2024 - Beyond this funding for capital projects, the budget agreement also provides $1.6  million in 2024 ‑25, $3.3  million in 2025 ‑26 and ongoing, and authority for 18 new permanent positions (which will be phased in over two years beginning in 2024 ‑25) for activities at the Sea.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4928

The 2022-23 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Revenue Update

Apr 29, 2022 - The final quarterly auction in 2021-22 will occur on May 18 and results will be released on May 26. If current prices for allowances on the secondary market remain steady over the coming weeks, we expect revenue from the May auction will continue to track closely to our base forecast—which would result in an additional $400 million above the Governor’s budget assumptions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4591

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

Oct 10, 2022 - CAD/AVL programs CalFire $42 million ($24 million GF and $18 million SETNA) in 2022 ‑23, $31 million ($23 million GF and $8 million SETNA) ongoing, and 43 positions to expand and support AVL and CAD systems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4633