The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - (In addition to the amounts shown, the Governor proposes using $1.5  billion of ARP fiscal relief funds to pay for the sate share of direct coronavirus disease 2019 expenditures, resulting in lower General Fund costs by that amount.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432

The 2021-22 Budget: Medi-Cal Enterprise System Modernization Effort

Feb 17, 2021 - To operate the program, DHCS manages many IT systems enabling payment of over $ 100  b illion in expenditures annually. (Other entities also manage IT systems that support the Medi ‑Cal program.) This post refers to some of the Medi ‑Cal IT systems DHCS manages that are relevant to this modernization effort, including the California Medicaid Management Information System (CA
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4375

The 2021-22 Budget: Analysis of Child Welfare Proposals

Feb 11, 2021 - In 2011, the state enacted legislation known as 2011 r ealignment, which dedicated a portion of the state ’s sales and use tax and vehicle license fee revenues to counties to administer child welfare and foster care programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4364

The 2021-22 Budget: California Department of Technology

Feb 8, 2021 - As a result, General Fund expenditures for CDT would increase $32.7  million year over year —from $6.8  million in 2020 ‑21 to $39.5  million in 2021 ‑22. (Total expenditures from all funds would increase from $434  million to $493  million.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4356

The 2021-22 Budget: Analysis of the Governor’s CalWORKs Proposals

Feb 3, 2021 - Following a major realignment of state and local responsibilities in 1991, some funds generated by a new sales tax and a portion of the vehicle license fee accrue to a special fund with a series of subaccounts which pay for a variety of health and human services programs and responsibilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4341

Estimating the CalWORKs Take-Up Rate

Feb 2, 2021 - More recently, the state allocated $2  million in 2016 ‑17 and 2017 ‑18 to improve awareness and take-up of the California Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which provides money to low-income workers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4340

The 2021-22 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 10, 2021 - The administration estimates direct COVID-19 expenditures, which we do not consider discretionary, are higher by $4.4  billion compared to the budget act assumption. (We define direct COVID-19 expenditures to include expenses for testing, contact tracing, and vaccine distribution.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4309

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Human Services

Oct 23, 2020 - The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Human Services Human Services Department of Developmental Services (DDS) The spending plan provides $9.8  billion from all fund sources for DDS in 2020 ‑21, an increase of 16.2  percent over revised 2019 ‑20 expenditures of $8.5  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4286/1

The 2020-21 May Revision: Analysis of 2020-21 May Revision IHSS Budget

Jun 9, 2020 - We note that this cost includes things other than wages and benefits, such as certain associated taxes and administrative costs. The increase in the weighted average of provider hourly wages in 2019 ‑20 largely reflects the inclusion of locally negotiated provider wage and benefit increases not captured in January estimates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4253

Federal COVID-19 Response Actions Affecting Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities

Apr 16, 2020 - Eligibility will be determined primarily through an individual ’s most recent tax filing (2019 for those who have already filed, 2018 otherwise). Initially, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance stating that people who typically do not file a tax return, including low-income, older adults and individuals with disabilities, will need to file a tax return or register through an online tool to receive the one-time cash assistan ce.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4221