Updating the California Necessities Index

Aug 14, 2025 - Recent changes were made to the publication of statistics required to calculate the California Necessities Index, which is used to adjust certain benefit rates and cost-of-living adjustments. In this brief, we provide details on the changes and evaluate alternatives for the index that require only currently available data and conform to the original intent of the index.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5065

Updating the California Necessities Index [Publication Details]

Aug 14, 2025 - Recent changes were made to the publication of statistics required to calculate the California Necessities Index, which is used to adjust certain benefit rates and cost-of-living adjustments. In this brief, we provide details on the changes and evaluate alternatives for the index that require only currently available data and conform to the original intent of the index.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5065

The 2022-23 Budget: Supply Chain and Port Infrastructure Proposals

Feb 15, 2022 - Then, any additional state funding could be better targeted to fill any funding gaps, provide any necessary state matching funds to maximize federal funds, and ensure funding is distributed across projects of different types at all ports statewide in a manner consistent with the Legislature’s priorities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4540

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - Single parents with one, two, or three children live in one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or three-bedroom apartments, respectively. An adult couple without children live in a studio/efficiency. An adult couple with one or two children live in a two-bedroom apartment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/4

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

Feb 23, 2026 - Under the Governor ’s budget proposal for the Cannabis Tax Program, this appropriation would increase to match current program spending. Administration Has Been Spending General Fund on Cannabis Tax Enforcement.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - To ensure revenues match benefits over time, states enacted UI financing systems. These systems are comprised of three elements: (1) a tax rate “schedule” that adjusts up or down to match revenues and benefit costs, (2) a taxable wage base level to which the tax rate applies, and (3) an experience rating factor to ensure employers pay their fair share of UI costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943

Evaluation of a Tax Exemption for Zero-Emission Buses

Apr 15, 2024 - Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation Conventional Buses vs. ZEBs. The ZEB exemption, the ICT regulation, and various other policies make a distinction between conventional buses and ZEBs. Conventional buses burn diesel, compressed natural gas, or other fuels that emit greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other air pollutants.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4890

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - Most Low-Wage Workers Live With at Least One Other Worker. Compared to mid-to-high-wage workers, low-wage workers are much less likely to live in households with exactly two workers and much more likely to live in households with three or more workers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/1

Improving California’s Unemployment Insurance Program

Aug 8, 2022 - In our assessment, today ’s problems do not call for fundamental reforms that could upend longstanding tenants of the state ’s labor market. Instead, targeted changes to state practices could improve the experience unemployed workers have when they need UI.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4615

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - We make these comparisons for seven different types of households, matching each household type to an apartment type that is modest but sufficient to avoid overcrowding (see the Appendix for details).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/3