California Legislative Analyst's Office

The California Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) is an agency of the California government.

It is overseen by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee of the California State Legislature.

The LAO performs and publishes extensive analysis of the state's budget.

Given the multitude of ballot propositions that regularly appear on the state ballot, one important function performed by CLAO is to produce nonpartisan descriptions and analyses of ballot initiatives.

Services offered

Ballot summaries

For each ballot proposition that is set to appear on a statewide ballot in California, the LAO is charged in Section 9085 of the California Elections Code with providing a ballot summary. This responsibility was given to the LAO in June 1974 with the enactment of Proposition 9.

The summaries include fiscal analysis of a proposed ballot measure before circulation and analyzes all ballot measures that qualify on the ballot.

Budget control

The California Legislative Analyst's Office plays a major role in the California State Budget. The LAO plays a role as "budget control" as they review requests to revisions for the state budget once after it is enacted into law. This process is used often by members of the California Joint Legislative Budget Committee and other fiscal committees in the California Legislature.

California budget

Budget analysis and forecasting is the main feature of the California Legislative Analyst's Office. The LAO forecasts all of California's revenues and expenditures. Also, the LAO publishes the state budget and in addition publishes an annual review of the state budget at the end of each February.

History

The California Legislative Analyst's Office has provided fiscal and policy analysis for the California Legislature since the 1940s.

See also

• State legislative research service bureaus
• California State Senate
• California State Assembly

External links

• California Legislative Analyst's Office