Budget & Taxes (Appropriations)

Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Existing law requires the plan to include, among other things, a description of the method for collecting moneys to support and implement the program and a description of the method for determining the amount of moneys that may need to be collected from water ratepayers to fund the program. This bill would establish the Water Rate Assistance Program. As part of the program, the bill would establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury, available upon appropriation by the Legislature, to provide water affordability assistance, for both residential water and wastewater services, to low-income residential ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require the state board to take various actions in administering the fund, including, among other things, tracking and managing revenue in the fund separately from all other revenue. The bill would require the state board, in consultation with relevant agencies and after a public hearing, to adopt guidelines for implementation of the program and to adopt an annual report to be posted on the state board's internet website identifying how the fund has performed, as specified. The bill would require the guidelines to include minimum requirements for eligible systems, including the ability to confirm eligibility for enrollment through a request for self-certification of eligibility under penalty of perjury. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the state board to take various actions in administering the program, including, but not limited to, providing guidance, oversight, and funding for low-income rate assistance for residential ratepayers of eligible systems. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, at the request of the state board, to bring an action in state court to restrain the use of any method, act, or practice in violation of these provisions, except as provided. The bill would make the implementation of all of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing federal law establishes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to ensure that the level of CalFresh benefits remain at least at the level that was in effect on January 20, 2025, under the Thrifty Food Plan, which is a food plan designed by the United States Department of Agriculture to determine SNAP benefit amounts. Under the bill, the above-described benefit maintenance requirement would be triggered if the federal government makes reductions to SNAP benefits that would result in the level of CalFresh benefits being lower than the threshold. If federal funding is insufficient, when combined with the nonfederal share, to maintain that level, the bill would require the department to implement these provisions using state funds subject to an appropriation. The bill would also require the department to conduct a feasibility study on increasing the eligibility and benefits of the CalFresh program, and to prepare a one-time report containing findings from the study. The bill would require the department to submit the report by January 1, 2027, to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The bill would repeal the provisions relating to the study and report on January 1, 2031.

Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources to establish and adjust salary ranges for each class of position in the state civil service. This bill would require that the salaries of state attorneys and administrative law judges in State Bargaining Unit 2 be no less than the average salaries of public sector attorneys, as specified. The bill would require the Department of Human Resources to annually conduct a survey of salary structures by March 1 of each year, as specified, and determine the average salary of public sector attorneys for each attorney classification, including the minimum salaries for entry-level attorneys, intermediate classifications, and the most senior nonmanagerial attorneys, noninclusive of negotiated differentials. The bill would require that state administrative law judges have salaries not less than the maximum salary of state attorneys classified at a specified level. The bill would require the department to make a good faith offer of parity in salary with respect to public sector agency attorneys' and administrative law judges' salaries in any negotiations with the exclusive bargaining representative. The bill would provide that no state attorney or administrative law judge classification shall be reduced in salary as a result of these provisions. This bill would state that its provisions supersede any memorandum of understanding and shall become effective with respect to salary increases on March 1 of each year. It would provide that its implementation, except for the annual survey, is contingent upon the appropriation of funds in the annual Budget Act and that implementation shall be phased in over 3 fiscal years commencing on July 1, 2026. The bill would also provide that the superior court has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising under these provisions.

Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education. This bill would establish the California Legislative Staff Education Loan Repayment Program, under the administration of the commission, to provide up to $50,000 in student loan repayment per applicant, disbursed in equal monthly installments over 20 years, as specified. The bill would require applicants for the program to be full-time eligible employees, as defined, of the California State Assembly or the California State Senate who have served for a minimum of 12 months. The bill would require an applicant to provide proof of full-time employment and for the applicant's supervisor or manager to attest, under penalty of perjury, that the applicant is in good standing with their employer. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would create the California Legislative Staff Education Loan Repayment Fund and authorize the commission to accept donations for purposes of the program and deposit them in the fund. The bill would require the commission to monitor the program for fraud and to annually report to the Legislature on the program, as specified. The bill would make the operation of the program contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law establishes the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as "GO-Biz," to, among other duties, serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. Existing law, until January 1, 2030, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, creates the California Competes Grant Program, which, among other things, authorizes the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to provide grants to an applicant that meets specified criteria relating to the creation of jobs or investments in the state. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until January 1, 2031.

Existing law establishes the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as "GO-Biz," to and provides for the appointment by the Governor of the Small Business Advocate, also known as the Director of the Office of Small Business Advocate, to, among other things, serve as the principal advocate in the state on behalf of small businesses. This bill would establish the California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program within the office, under the direct authority of the director, to provide grants to eligible independent live music events promoters to support their continued ability to provide equitable access to the arts for all Californians. The bill would specify requirements for eligibility and, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, would require the office to allocate the sum of $20,000,000 in grants to eligible independent live music events promoters that meet those requirements.

The Corporation Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal tax law, provides an exemption from the taxes imposed by that law for specified organizations. Existing law references federal tax law to give priority to tax-exempt organizations, or to require tax-exempt status, for the purpose of certain grants and service contracts. This bill would provide that where specified federal tax law is referenced to determine eligibility for any state grant or service contract, or for the disbursement of state or local funds, it is deemed to also refer to the relevant provision of the Corporation Tax Law. Existing law designates the State Department of Social Services as the single agency with full power to supervise every phase of the administration of public social services, including services for refugees, immigrants, and asylees, except as specified. Existing law requires the department to allocate federal funds for refugee social services programs to eligible counties and, in certain circumstances, to qualified nonprofit organizations. Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations through contracts to provide certain immigration-related legal services to persons residing in, or formerly residing in, the state. Existing law requires the department to administer a rapid response program to award grants or contracts to entities, including nonprofit organizations, that provide critical assistance to immigrants during times of need. Existing law, subject to an appropriation, establishes the Enhanced Services for Asylees and Vulnerable Noncitizens program to provide resettlement services for persons granted asylum by the United States Attorney General or the United States Secretary of Homeland Security or who are eligible to receive refugee cash assistance and services as victims of crime. Existing law requires a grant or contract awarded pursuant to that program to be executed only with a qualified nonprofit organization. Existing law defines "qualified nonprofit organization" or "nonprofit organization" for purposes of these provisions to include a nonprofit organization that, among other things, is exempt from federal income taxation, as specified. This bill would revise the definition of "qualified nonprofit organization" or "nonprofit organization" under the above-described provisions to additionally include a nonprofit organization that meets specified requirements to qualify for state tax-exempt status. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This bill would make appropriations for the support of state government for the 2025–26 fiscal year. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.

The Budget Act of 2023 and the Budget Act of 2024 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years. This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2023 and the Budget Act of 2024 by amending and adding items of appropriation and making other changes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.

(1) The California Constitution generally requires appropriations from the General Fund to be enacted in a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. Notwithstanding that requirement, the California Constitution authorizes the budget bill, other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill, and bills that make General Fund appropriations for the public schools, to be passed by a majority vote. The California Constitution also generally requires a statute enacted at a regular session to go into effect on the January 1 next following a 90-day period from the date of enactment, except that the budget bill and other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation. This measure would repeal the exceptions to the requirement that a bill making General Fund appropriations must be passed by a 23 vote, thereby requiring any bill that makes General Fund appropriations to be passed by a 23 vote. The measure would also repeal the exception authorizing the budget bill and other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill to take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation. (2) The California Constitution requires any change in state statute that results in any taxpayer paying a higher tax to be enacted in a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. This measure would also prohibit any action by a state agency that would impose a new charge, or that would increase an existing charge, on any person from taking effect unless the action is ratified by a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. (3) The California Constitution includes every officer and employee of the State within the state civil service, except as provided. The state judiciary has construed this civil service mandate to prohibit the state from contracting with private entities for the performance of governmental functions, except under specified circumstances. Notwithstanding the prohibition on contracting with private entities, the California Constitution authorizes the state and local governments to contract with qualified private entities for architectural and engineering services for public works of improvement. This measure would expressly authorize the State of California and local governmental entities to contract with private entities for the performance of governmental services. The measure would require every state agency to annually subject at least 10% of its program activities, as measured by total budgetary expenditures for that state agency, to fair and open competitive bidding and would make each program activity executed by a state agency subject to competitive bidding at least once every 7 years. The measure would exclude state or local governmental services performed by sworn law enforcement personnel from these provisions. The measure, beginning in the 2028–29 fiscal year, would prohibit total state employment costs from exceeding 95% of total state employment costs in the 2024–25 fiscal year, as provided. Beginning in the 2029–30 fiscal year, the measure would prohibit total state employment costs from exceeding total state employment costs in the immediately preceding fiscal year, as adjusted by the annual percentage change nationally in average wages as determined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The measure would require the California State Auditor to certify compliance with these requirements.