Budget Spotlight - 03/20/2026

Subcommittee #1 (Education)

Pérez (D-Pasadena) Chair, Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), and Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera)

Promoting Flexible Career Opportunities Through Community Colleges. The subcommittee heard testimony from the Community College Chancellor's Office. Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) asked questions regarding community colleges' recent efforts to provide opportunities for working people to gain credit for experience in the field, which Chancellor Sonya Christian called a "game changer." Senator Ochoa Bogh voiced her support for a broad range of pathways to good jobs for Californians, commenting, "We have such a need to build our workforce." Senator Ochoa Bogh also asked about efforts to avoid fraudulent ghost student enrollments, in which criminals use bots to falsely enroll in college classes to obtain financial aid. The Chancellor acknowledged that this has been a tough issue but indicated she is confident that final enrollment numbers reflect actual students. Senate Republicans are concerned about fraud across a range of programs and will continue to advocate for protecting taxpayer dollars.

Key Topics to be Heard Next Week: Subcommittee #1 will not meet next week.

Subcommittee #2 (Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy)

Reyes (D-Colton) Chair, Choi (R-Irvine), Blakespear (D-Encinitas), and McNerney (D- Pleasanton)

Improving Recycling to Promote Clean Beaches and Rivers. The subcommittee heard testimony regarding various environmental protection and recycling programs. Senator Steven Choi (R-Irvine) focused on the problem of recycling and potential ways to better prevent used bottles and cans from polluting beaches and rivers, noting "Recycling is a very important part of protecting the environment." Senator Choi encouraged the Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle) to partner with effective volunteer organizations that help clean up beaches and rivers. CalRecycle's executive director agreed that such partnerships are valuable and agreed to reach out to support those efforts. Additionally, one of the Governor's proposals would add staff for fraud prevention within CalRecycle's programs. Senate Republicans are concerned about fraud across a variety of state programs and support anti-fraud efforts such as these.

Key Topics to be Heard Next Week: Subcommittee #2 will not meet next week.

Subcommittee #3 (Health and Human Services)

Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) Chair, Grove (R-Bakersfield), and Weber Pierson (D-San Diego)

Protecting Safety Net Services for California's Most Vulnerable. The subcommittee heard from the Departments of Health Care Services and Social Services on the programmatic and budgetary impacts of House Resolution (HR) 1, the federal budget bill signed into law in July 2025. The hearing focused on the implementation of HR 1's requirements on the Medi-Cal and CalFresh programs, including tightened eligibility rules, federal funding limitations, and administrative impacts on California's 58 counties. Alarmingly, the Governor's budget provided no additional funding to counties for HR 1 workload. As the state implements these new requirements, Senate Republicans will advocate that counties have the resources necessary to maintain program integrity while serving vulnerable populations.

Key Topics to be Heard Next Week: Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rates and Covered California health plan enrollment.

Subcommittee #4 (State Administration and General Government)

Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) Chair, Niello (R-Fair Oaks), Cabaldon (D-Yolo), Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles)

Tax Credit Proposal Would Reduce Funding for Local Streets and Roads. The subcommittee met to discuss the Governor's proposal to provide a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, which is projected to reduce transportation funding by up to $300 million, if not more, given the level of fiscal uncertainty with the proposal. California has long used gas tax revenues to fund roads and transit, an approach voters reinforced by restricting those funds to transportation purposes. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office testified that the Governor's proposal breaks from that tradition, redirecting money paid by drivers to subsidize aviation decarbonization instead. Senate Republicans are concerned that the Governor's efforts to redirect transportation funds run against Californians' priorities.

Key Topics to be Heard Next Week: Subcommittee #4 will not meet next week.

Subcommittee #5 (Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation)

Richardson (D-San Pedro) Chair, Seyarto (R-Murrieta), and Durazo (D-Los Angeles)

Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) for Caltrans. The subcommittee discussed transportation issues, including a request from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for $225 million to continue replacing its fleet and installing ZEV charging stations. Over the past four years the budget has provided $1.4 billion in additional funds for Caltrans to replace and upgrade its fleet, with a preference of adding ZEVs. Still, Caltrans asserts, "Additional funding is imperative to Caltrans' goal of becoming the greenest fleet in the nation…" Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) suggested Caltrans "change their goal to instead provide a transportation system and roads that reflect the amount of investment California taxpayers put into the system," noting that ranking 49th out of 50th (in overall road condition) is unacceptable. The item was held open for a vote at a future hearing.

Key Topics to be Heard Next Week: Subcommittee #5 will not meet next week.

Related Topics

• Budget