The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is a nonpartisan office that provides fiscal and policy advice to the California State Legislature. It’s done so for 75 years.
It plays a crucial role in evaluating climate policies by assessing their economic impacts, benefits, and effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The office helps ensure that the Legislature has the necessary information to design and evaluate climate policies effectively. It also identifies key issues for legislative consideration, such as the interaction of state climate policies with other federal, state, and local policies, and the need for a robust system to estimate emission reductions, air pollution reductions, distributional impacts, and cost-effectiveness of each policy. The LAO’s reports provide valuable insights and recommendations to the Legislature, helping it make informed decisions about climate policy design and implementation.
It has produced a number of reports on climate policy. Here are some of the more salient ones.
Governor’s Climate Change Initiative (2006) Link
Implementation of “AB 32” Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (2007) Link
Implementation of “AB 32”–Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (2008) Link
Summary of ARB Responses to LAO’s Questions on the AB 32 Scoping Plan (2008) Link
Implementation of AB 32—Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (2010) Link
AB32: Analysis of the Net Impact On California Jobs (2010) Link
Evaluating the Policy Trade-Offs in ARB’s Cap-and-Trade Program (2012) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—An Overview (2018) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Transportation (2018) Link
Preparing for Rising Seas: How the State Can Help Support Local Coastal Adaptation Efforts (2019) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Electricity Generation (2020) Link
The 2020-21 Budget: Climate Change Proposals (2020) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Agriculture (2021) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies The 2022 Scoping Plan Update (2023) Link
The 2023-24 Budget: Crafting Climate, Resources, and Environmental Budget Solutions (2023) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Implications for State Transportation Funding and Programs (2023) Link
The 2024‑25 Budget: Crafting Climate, Resources, and Environmental Budget Solutions (2024) Link
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Residential Electricity Rates In California (2025) Link