The 2024-25 Spending Plan: Judiciary and Criminal Justice

Sep 10, 2024 - This decline is largely due to reductions in General Fund spending in 2024-25, such as those made to address the state ’s budget problem, as well as the expiration of limited-term funding provided in previous years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4924

The 2023-24 Budget: Financing Approaches for Capital Outlay Projects

Feb 28, 2023 - However, given the current budget problem facing the state —including our office ’s assessment that the problem will likely be even larger than the Governor projects —and the state ’s relatively low DSR, the Legislature might want to switch to lease revenue bonds instead of cash financing for some of the projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4709

The 2025-26 Budget: Estimated State Savings From Proposition 47

Feb 26, 2025 - However, the flaws we identify above are conceptual problems that can be improved through reasonable assumptions in areas where actual data is lacking. We will continue to monitor Proposition  36 implementation and the prison population and make recommendations based on the updated information available at the May Revision, including the administration ’s revised estimates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4991

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 16, 2025 - The budget package also included supplemental reporting language requiring a report —due on or before March  1, 2026, and annually thereafter for three years —on the problems the program was designed to address and how the funds were used.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5081/

The 2025-26 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 25, 2025 - The state has paid over $150 million in fines so far, which are deposited in a special account to support staff recruitment and retention. At the time of publication, CDCR is still accruing fines but the court has paused on collecting and spending the fines due to ongoing litigation.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4986

Assessing Community College Programs at State Prisons

Jul 1, 2024 - Overall, we found that these education programs have several positive aspects but also a number of problems and missed opportunities. Anecdotally, Both Students and Staff Cite Benefits of Prison Education.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4913