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

Feb 23, 2026 - The flavor ban and hemp ‑derived cannabinoid laws add to CDTFA ’s enforcement costs in several ways. For example, they make inspections more complex; make citations and seizures more likely; and raise projected costs for transporting, storing, and destroying seized products.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

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

Mar 18, 2025 - To increase transparency, we recommend the Legislature add explicit requirements to assess a grant applicant ’s inability to use tax credits. These requirements could include factors like the age of the business for startups or documentation of a lack of tax liability in previous years for more established firms.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5018

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

Feb 20, 2024 - The administration ’s stated purpose for the proposal is to add to ISRF ’s cash on hand, which they say would allow them to sell more revenue bonds with favorable terms. LAO Analysis Fiscal Situation Necessitates New Spending Clear a High Bar.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4846

Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - Anticipated annual shortfalls will add to the state ’s looming $20  billion outstanding federal UI  loan. We expect the loan to grow by billions of dollars before federal surcharge UI taxes are high enough for the state and employers to begin making progress toward repaying the  loan.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943

The 2023-24 Budget: Multiyear Budget Outlook

May 23, 2023 - (This would add to the double ‑digit budget problem for 2024 ‑25 already projected under both our and the administration ’s estimates, as we describe below.) LAO Spending Estimates Over $10   Billion Higher Than the Administration by 2026 ‑27.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4772

The 2023-24 Budget: California's Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2023 - Further, these flexibilities add to the administrative complexity of the credit. For this reason, we suggest eliminating these flexibilities if the credit is made refundable. Conclusion Despite years of competition from other states, Hollywood remains the center of the U.S. motion picture industry.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4713

Improving California’s Unemployment Insurance Program

Aug 8, 2022 - Although the key factors that make getting benefits difficult are operational —that is, departmental policies, practices, and actions —the use of outdated and inefficient technology adds further complication, delay, and frustration for eligible workers trying to get benefits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4615

Evaluating State Economic Stimulus Proposals

Feb 1, 2021 - For example, in our analysis The 2019‑20 Budget: Opportunity Zones , we argued that creating a new state Opportunity Zone program to fund affordable housing would add an unnecessary layer of complication to the financing of affordable housing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4331