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The Legislature kicked off its month-long summer recess on July 3rd and will be returning on August 3rd to a packed schedule ahead of the fiscal year’s final stretch. In the meantime, EDGE and our advocacy partners are hard at work preparing for the Suspense File hearings on August 13, when fiscal committees will decide […]

On June 29, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Budget Act of 2026-27, which outlines $351.7 billion in total state spending, including $251.5 billion from the state’s General Fund. The state enters 2026-27 with a balanced budget and no projected deficit for this year or next, a shift from the multibillion-dollar shortfall addressed in last year’s

On June 26, 2026, the Governor and Legislature reached an agreement on the 2026–27 state budget. The agreement comes at a critical time as California works to protect safety net programs and underserved Californians from federal impacts, while also lowering the state deficit in the Governor’s final budget before the end of his term.   

Recent federal changes under H.R. 1 have expanded work requirements for Medi-Cal and CalFresh recipients, affecting an estimated 3.5 million Californians. To maintain eligibility, many adults will now need to verify at least 20 hours of work per week for CalFresh and, beginning in 2027, 80 hours per month for Medi-Cal.   California currently faces

June has been a busy month at the Capitol, with policy and budget committee hearings in full swing. Many of California EDGE Coalition’s priority bills have continued to advance through the Legislature, including our co-sponsored bill, SB 1054 by Senator Cabaldon, which focuses on workforce data infrastructure.   The deadline for bills to pass out

On May 14, Governor Newsom released the 2026–27 May Revision, a $321.9 billion spending plan that reflects stronger-than-expected revenues alongside continued economic uncertainty. General Fund revenues came in $16.5 billion above January projections, driven largely by a spike in 2025 capital gains income. The proposal maintains nearly $29.9 billion in total reserves, including $15.1 billion

Sacramento, CA — Today, Zima Creason, Executive Director of the California EDGE Coalition, issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s 2026-27 May Revision: “This May Revision arrives with something we were not expecting early in the year – a genuine opportunity! With unexpected additional dollars on the table, California has a real chance

EDGE is proud to share an initial list of bill priorities for the second year of the 2025–2026 legislative session. This year’s priorities reflect our continued commitment to expanding access to education and workforce pathways for underserved Californians. Our supported bills span key themes, including strengthening financial aid and reducing barriers to college access, expanding

The Legislature hit its bill introduction deadline on Friday, February 20. Thus far, hundreds of bills have been introduced on various topics, including education, workforce development, and safety net issues, many of which aim to support Californians as federal actions create new risks to support services, especially in underserved communities. As the second year of

Under the 2025 reconciliation bill, known as H.R. 1, access to Pell Grants was expanded to allow students in programs as short as eight weeks to receive funding under the new Workforce Pell program. The federal expansion of Pell Grants to support short-term workforce training represents a major opportunity to strengthen California’s talent pipeline, particularly