Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization

May 7, 2025 - Revenues From Allowances Can Play Key Role in Helping Preserve Affordability. The value of allowances —both those that are given away for free and those that are sold to generate GGRF revenue —can play an important role in mitigating the program ’s impacts on affordability.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5042

The 2024-25 Budget: Salton Sea Management Program

Feb 26, 2024 - Many Agencies Have a Role to Play at the Salton Sea. Numerous agencies at all levels of government are involved in responding to conditions at the Salton Sea. The principal agencies and their major roles are described in   Figure  1 .
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4859

Overview of New Updates to the Cap-and-Invest Program

Dec 9, 2025 - The Legislature can play an important role overseeing and guiding these efforts. For  instance, the newly envisioned Climate Bureau ’s usefulness is likely to be enhanced if its activities are directed to high ‑priority topics and if it is created such that it can build a reputation as a credible source of timely analyses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5097

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Zero-Emission Vehicle Incentive

Feb 24, 2026 - While ZEV ‑specific programs can play a role in augmenting the state ’s broader programs —such as by making ZEVs more accessible to low ‑income households and helping to encourage the market to produce a greater number and variety of vehicles —they are less critical than they otherwise would be without the “backstop ” of those broader GHG ‑reducing programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5140

The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight

Mar 18, 2026 - Given the high stakes for fish and water users, the Legislature can play a critical role in monitoring plan implementation. Because the VAs are designed to adapt as new information becomes available —and the board retains authority to terminate the VAs for some or all water users if they are not working as intended —performance will require ongoing evaluation.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

Reducing the Destructiveness of Wildfires: Promoting Defensible Space in California

Sep 30, 2021 - Defensible Space Plays Important Role in Reducing Home Ignitability. Researchers generally agree that it is important for homeowners to maintain an area free of excess or dead vegetation around their homes, known as defensible space.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4457

Assessing California's Climate Policies—The 2022 Scoping Plan Update

Jan 4, 2023 - As part of this report, CARB should identify new or expanded policies that would be used to meet both the statutory goal and the Scoping Plan goal, including the role that it expects cap ‑and ‑trade to play.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4656

Frequently Asked Questions About Wildfires in California

Jan 28, 2025 - These fires played an important role in keeping the state ’s forests and landscapes healthy by periodically clearing underbrush and contributing to regrowth of native plant species. Because of the change in fire prevalence, when wildfires do occur now, they often burn at higher severity than would naturally be the case.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4952

The 2023-24 Budget: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Major Capital Outlay Proposals

Feb 21, 2023 - That CCC has a facility within close proximity and is playing an increasingly important role in meeting the needs once filled by conservation camp crews makes the continued need for Growlersburg even less certain.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4693

The 2023-24 Budget: Improving Legislative Oversight of CalFire’s Emergency Fire Protection Budget

May 1, 2023 - This is a significant departure from the oversight role the Legislature typically plays in considering whether to approve the costs associated with new firefighting positions through the traditional budget process.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4765