The 2026-27 Budget: CalWORKs

Feb 18, 2026 - During the COVID-19 pandemic the state significantly overestimated CalWORKs caseload and spending, largely due to unprecedented federal and state policy responses that led to historically unusual enrollment trends.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5122

The 2026-27 Budget: County Administration and H.R. 1 Implementation

Mar 5, 2026 - Automating verification processes and connecting with all available data sources to the extent possible is a key strategy to mitigating the risk that eligible individuals are disenrol led. In addition to automation, additional funding support for counties to allow more time to be spent with affected enrollees could also help mitigate incorrect disenrollments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5149

Implementing California’s Child Welfare Prevention Services Program

Jan 28, 2026 - Several counties with significant tribal presence also partner with local tribes/tribally led organizations to implement culturally relevant and community ‑led programs. For example, several counties mention in their CPPs that they offer the Family Spirit program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5106

The 2025-26 Budget: The California State Payroll System IT Project

Mar 7, 2025 - For over two decades, SCO —which is responsible for issuing pay to the state workforce —has led state efforts to plan, develop, and implement a new state payroll system. An initial effort —the 21 st Century (TFC)/MyCalPAYS IT project —started in 2004 and was suspended in 2013.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5011

The 2023-24 Budget: Overview of Information Technology Project Proposals

Mar 17, 2023 - However, we have seen no evaluation performed by the administration of challenge-based procurements to determine whether, for example, additional planning costs for these demonstrations, proofs of concept, and prototypes led to improved project D &I outcomes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4746

The 2025-26 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 19, 2025 - Second, the COVID-19 public health crisis and consequent economic downturn likely led to further caseload increases. Finally, as mentioned, maximum benefit amounts increased in the last five years. This increase in benefits also may have made the program more attractive to recipients relative to the administrative requirements to enroll, m aking some recipients potentially more likely to enroll or maintain enrollment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4971

Preliminary Assessment of Significant Changes to State's Technology Project Approval and Oversight Processes

Apr 29, 2025 - The PDL, led by CDT in coordination with DOF and ODI, is anticipated to be both a more incremental and a more iterative approach to technology project planning that is informed by the administration ’s experience with the first round of GenAI POCs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5034

The 2021-22 Budget: California State Payroll System IT Project

Feb 2, 2021 - This statewide effort is comparable to the change management required for the Financial Information System fo r California (FI$Cal) IT project, which led to the creation of a new entity (Department of FI$Cal) with ongoing operational and training responsibilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4339

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Broadband Infrastructure

Oct 27, 2021 - The role of the office, led by a Deputy Director of Broadband, is to oversee the acquisition and management of contracts to develop and construct, and maintain and operate, the middle-mile network. Senate Bill 156 requires OBBDL to create a nine-member middle-mile advisory committee to monitor the construction and establishment of the middle-mile network.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4467

California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities

Apr 24, 2024 - Ongoing efforts include multiyear initiatives led by the Department of Health Care Services, such as California Advancing and Innovating Medi ‑Cal, proposed changes to the Mental Health Services Act, and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4897