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March 6, 2026 - In this post, we assess the Governor's California Highway Patrol budget proposals for (1) equipment and operating costs and (2) capital outlay projects.
March 5, 2026 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation
February 27, 2026 - This brief summarizes the history, costs, and current status of the state’s effort to deploy a Next Generation 911 system and assesses the administration’s proposal to abandon the existing regional approach in favor of a statewide model. It also offers recommendations regarding legislative oversight of this project and the long-term governance of the state’s 911 system.
February 11, 2026 - In this post we assess the Governor’s request for permanent funding for the Cannabis Control Appeals Panel.
December 2, 2025 - As required by Chapter 80 of 2020 (SB 588, Archuleta), this brief reviews California’s Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) program. Specifically, it focuses on policies and practices designed to prevent program abuse and noncompliance.
October 16, 2025 - This post discusses features of the state's spending plan that were not covered elsewhere in the 2025-26 Spending Plan series.
September 9, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Units 10 (Professional Scientists) and 18 (Psychiatric Technician). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
August 20, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
August 19, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 8 (Firefighters). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
July 14, 2025 - On July 10, 2025, our office received from the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) a proposed successor memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the state and Bargaining Unit 16. Unit 16 consists of physicians, psychiatrists, dentists, podiatrists, and other medical professionals who work in institutionalized settings, such as prisons and hospitals. Unit 16’s current members are represented by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD). The current MOU between the state and UAPD expired on July 1, 2025. If the proposed successor MOU is not ratified, the provisions of the expired MOU generally would remain in effect as is required by the Ralph C. Dills Act (Dills Act). This analysis of the proposed agreement fulfills our statutory requirement under Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
July 11, 2025 - The final 2025-26 budget package approved by the Legislature maintained the May Revision level of savings in employee compensation and set an expectation for the administration and the state’s 21 bargaining units to meet and confer in good faith in order to achieve those savings through the collective bargaining process. To effectuate those savings, the budget package provided legislative ratification of any agreement that achieved budgetary savings and was entered into before the start of the 2025-26 fiscal year. In total, the administration and 19 of the state’s bargaining units were able to enter into agreements by midnight on June 30, 2025. The purpose of this analysis is to serve as a historical record of these legislatively ratified labor agreements with the 19 bargaining units.
July 10, 2025 - In this brief we review a once-narrow workers' compensation supplemental payment, known as the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund (SIBTF), that has looser standards, broader eligibility, and more generous benefits than the standard workers' compensation system. The program pays generous lifetime benefits to injured workers who also have pre-existing health issues. The program's use and associated employer costs have risen dramatically now that injured workers are able to access the state's most generous benefit ($1,700 per week for life) with claims that are often based on common pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, headaches, allergies, or sexual dysfunction.
June 27, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 9 (Professional Engineers). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
June 27, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 12 (Craft and Maintenance). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.
June 23, 2025 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.