What Are the Department of Finance’s Required Reports to the Legislature?

California Government Code Section 13308 requires five reports to the Legislature that must be submitted by the Director of the Governor’s Department of Finance (DOF). The state Constitution only requires the Governor to submit his or her budget within the first 10 days of each calendar year pursuant to Article IV, Section 12.

However, the Director of Finance is required to submit five reports to the Legislature throughout the first part of each calendar year. Subdivision(a) requires the Director to submit to the Legislature by January 10 total recommended state General Fund expenditures and estimated, including any proposed, state General Fund revenues that include the 5-year capital infrastructure plan, an estimate of the total General Fund resources, and a projection of anticipated state General Fund expenditures.

Subdivision (b) requires the Director to submit to the Legislature by February 1 all proposed statutory changes, as prepared by the Legislative Counsel, that are necessary to implement the Governor’s Budget (commonly referred to as “budget trailer bills”).

Subdivision (c) requires the Director to submit to the Legislature by April 1 all proposed adjustments to the Governor’s Budget, with certain exceptions.

Subdivision (d) requires the Director to submit to the Legislature by May 1 all proposed adjustments to the Governor’s Budget in appropriations for capital outlay.

Subdivision (e) requires the Director to submit to the Legislature by May 14 all of the following (commonly referred to as the “May Revise” or “May Budget Revision”): an estimate of General Fund revenues for the current fiscal year and for the ensuing fiscal year; any proposals to reduce expenditures to reflect updated revenue estimates; and, all proposed adjustments to the Governor’s Budget that are necessary to reflect updated estimates of state funding required, or to reflect caseload enrollment or population changes.