The 2026-27 Budget: Estimated State Savings From Proposition 47

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, prior to Proposition  47, possession for personal use of most illegal drugs (such as cocaine or heroin) was a misdemeanor, a wobbler, or a felony —depending on the amount and type of drug.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5108

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, the report should consider the extent to which outpatient populations could remain in hard ‑to ‑staff prisons but be serviced with tele ‑mental health to a greater  degree . Direct CDCR to Continue to Seek Further Alignment With Bed Need Study.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

The 2026-27 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, at the time of publication, CDCR did not specify which prisons the staff will be redirected from or which caseloads will be served by tele ‑mental health. Moreover, it is not clear why those prisons and caseloads were selected, how long the redirected positions have been vacant, or the rate of remote workers at the prisons that staff would be redirected from.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Justice

Feb 11, 2026 - This is because they face structural shortfalls in which expenditures exceed revenues, generally receive less revenue, or can only be used for a relatively narrow number of activities. …Which Will Then Require General Fund Support in the Near Term … The constraints on the firearm special funds means that General Fund support will be needed, at least in the short run, to maintain DOJ firearm operations.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5118

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - For example, the 2019 assessment estimated the new Fresno Courthouse project would cost $483  million. This project is currently in the middle of pre ‑construction activities, which has resulted in an updated cost estimate of $965   million —double the original estimate.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113