NewsGovernor Signs 2017-18 Budget
Governor Brown signed the 2017-18 on Tuesday, opting not to utilize his line-item veto power. As such, the $125 million budget passed by the Legislature earlier this month remains intact. According to Brown, this budget provides money to improve infrastructure, pay down debt, invest in schools, fund the earned income tax credit and provide health care for millions of California. Additionally, the budget expands the earned income tax credit to self-employed, low income individuals and raises the income threshold to about $22,000, allowing more households to claim the credit. The budget also outlines how the new tobacco tax will be spent, which includes the highly sought after increase in supplemental provider payments for doctors, dentists and others who provide publicly funded care for the poor
In terms of the specific pieces of the budget that have been enacted, they include:
- AB 97 - Budget Act of 2017.
- AB 99 - School finance: education omnibus trailer bill.
- AB 102 - The Taxpayer Transparency and Fairness Act of 2017: State Board of Equalization.
- AB 103 - Public safety: omnibus.
- AB 107 - Developmental services.
- AB 111 - State government.
- AB 115 - Transportation.
- AB 119 - State government.
- AB 120 - Budget Act of 2017.
- SB 85 - Education.
- SB 89 - Human services.
- SB 90 - Public social services: 1991 Realignment Legislation and IHSS Maintenance of Effort and collective bargaining.
- SB 92 - Public resources.
- SB 94 - Cannabis: medicinal and adult use.
- SB 96 - State Government.
Of note, a few additional trailer bills remain in process. Under California law, the main budget bill must be passed by the Legislature by June 15th and signed by the Governor by June 30th; however, other detailed trailer bills that provide the details for implementing the main budget provisions may be passed and enacted thereafter.
For more information, please see www.ebudget.ca.gov.