The 2026-27 Budget: Office of Emergency Services Next Generation 911 System

Feb 27, 2026 - If security and privacy protections need to be upgraded or added on later, who will p ay for these improvements? Is There Sufficient Oversight of This Project? What policies and governance models are needed to ensure that the transition to Next Generation 911  is  successful?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5145

The 2026-27 Budget: Community College Facilities

Mar 17, 2026 - Share of Funding Allocated Toward Modernization Projects Is Likely Too Low. Though we think the scoring system is generally reasonable, it has a few shortcomings. One of these shortcomings is that it weights modernization and growth projects in a way that does not align tightly with identified project needs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5159

The 2026-27 Budget: California Competes Extension

Mar 18, 2026 - In earlier years, individual awards were much smaller and more numerous, whereas recent rounds have a much smaller number of awards that are typically worth several million dollars each. Changes made to the program in 2018 likely explain much of this trend.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5162

Assessment of CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025

Dec 10, 2025 - The new framework goes beyond the GI 2025 objectives of increasing graduation rates and closing equity gaps by adding new objectives and several new metrics. One  notable new objective is ensuring all students are able to graduate with a first career job or pathway to graduate education.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5099

The 2026-27 Budget: Streamlining California’s Affordable Housing Funding System

Mar 6, 2026 - In years of leaner supplies of state subsidies, however, demand for the set ‑aside pool will be much less and a mandatory 50  percent set ‑aside for HDFC projects could be too high. This prospect becomes even more likely due to the up ‑to ‑doubling of the availability of federal 4  percent tax credits resulting from H.R. 1.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5154

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Welfare

Mar 3, 2026 - Over the next few years, DSS will work toward implementation —in terms of developing detailed program guidance and taking other necessary steps to prepare for the Tiered Rate Structure —with the new rates slated to begin rolling out to youth and caregivers in 2027-28.
https://lao.ca.gov/publications/report/5147

UC Merced at 20: Campus Developments and Key State-Level Takeaways

Nov 7, 2024 - Building space or hiring staff before students enroll means added costs without as much underlying revenue, yet not having space and staff in place means students have no programs in which to enter. Until a campus reaches a certain level —with a certain number of students, type of students, and revenue streams —nearly all aspects of campus development not only are more daunting logistically, but they cost more per student.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4937

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

Dec 9, 2025 - Moreover, S B  840 added two new statutory allocations for the Climate Bureau and A B  617 , signaling the Legislature ’s interest in prioritizing ongoing funding in these  areas. Modifying Prioritization Order Affects How Much Funding Programs Receive Under Lower Revenue Scenarios.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5097

Proposition 4 [Ballot]

Nov 5, 2024 - For example, this could include adding additional amenities to a local park. On net, Proposition  4 likely would result in savings to local governments. The amount of these savings is uncertain but could average tens of millions of dollars annually over the next few decades.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=4&year=2024

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposition 98 Guarantee and K-12 Spending Plan

Feb 4, 2026 - The proposal effectively shifts that cost from this year to future budgets —helping address the current budget problem on a one ‑time basis, but adding to the large budget deficits the state is projecting over the next several years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110