The 2024-25 Budget: Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development

Feb 20, 2024 - We estimate the Governor ’s budget predicts the state ’s 2024-25 budget will need to address a $58 billion deficit . In December, our office predicted a somewhat large deficit of $68 billion . Since then, recent data has continued to point to the budget problem being larger than the Governor’s budget assumes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4846

The 2026-27 Budget: CDTFA’s Cannabis and Tobacco Programs

Feb 23, 2026 - The Governor proposes augmentations of $3.8  million in 2026 ‑27, $3.7  million in 2027 ‑28, $3.7  million in 2028 ‑29, and $1.2  million in 2029 ‑30 and ongoing from the Compliance Fund for the Tobacco Licensing Program to enforce AB  3218 and other flavor ban laws.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - Based on state and federal laws, we define housing as affordable if the rent falls below 30 percent of the household’s gross income. Housing in Major Metro Areas Unaffordable for Minimum-Wage Workers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/3

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 16, 2025 - The budget includes a $10  million reappropriation of General Fund originally provided in 2024-25, as well as an extended encumbrance period (through June 30, 2029), for the LEMA system pilot project.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5081

Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - During the phase ‑in period, the state also entered the dot ‑com recession. These two cost pressures absorbed the remaining flexibility in the state ’s UI tax system. As  shown in Figure  4 , the state began this period in Schedule C but quickly moved to Schedule F+, the highest tax schedule, where it has remained since.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943

The 2022-23 Budget: Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development Proposals

Feb 11, 2022 - Governor Proposes $30   Million for Grants to Ports. The Governor ’s budget includes $30  million General Fund, one time, for grants to make operational and process improvements at the state ’s ports to help alleviate supply chain problems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4529

The 2025-26 Budget: Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development

Mar 18, 2025 - Removing 30  Percent Cap on Individual Awards Reasonable. Current rules stipulate that an applicant may not receive more than 30  percent of the grant funding available in a fiscal year. Since the Governor ’s proposal would provide $60  million for grants, compared to $120  million in prior iterations, the cap on individual awards would be $18  million, down from $36  million.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5018

Overview of Diversity Efforts in the Film Tax Credit Program

May 1, 2025 - The broad structure of the new requirement is as follows: Within 30 days of receiving a credit allocation letter, applicants must submit a DEIA Workplan that reflects California ’s population in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status and includes specific DEIA goals and how the applicant intends to fulfill them.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5036

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - For example, the monthly CPS unit nonresponse rate grew from 10  percent in 2013 to 30  percent in 2023. Unit nonresponse rates for many other surveys are well above 30  percent. Another Weakness: Measurement Error.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/4

The 2025-26 Budget: California’s Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2025 - This  would apply to version 4.0 of the credit for fiscal years 2025 ‑26 through 2029 ‑30. Expanding the Credit Is a Valid Approach to Increase Production Activity in California. Our  assessment of the available evidence suggests that increasing the size of the credit will increase the number of productions that choose to locate in California.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5000