Senate budget committee advances 16 trailer bills, sending package with Prop 4 and GGRF allocations to the floor

The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review on Monday advanced a 16‑bill package of budget “trailer” items that chair Senator Laird said, together with the June budget, “basically balances the budget for this year and next year” and creates a roughly $35 billion reserve.

Erica Lee, chief deputy director at the Department of Finance, walked members through the package’s largest elements, including roughly $2.66 billion tied to the voter‑approved Prop 4 climate bond and about $450 million in one‑time greenhouse gas reduction fund (GGRF) dollars for 2026‑27, which the department described as including $230 million for SB125 transit commitments. Lee summarized the bills as a mix of technical corrections and policy changes affecting housing, health, transportation and natural resources.

Supporters and opponents took 30‑second turns during a long public comment period. Local governments and conservation groups praised funding for sustainable agricultural lands, safe drinking water and local conservation corps programs; health advocates welcomed a state‑funded dialysis program and 988 crisis‑line investments. Critics urged more guardrails on GGRF allocations and questioned retroactive language in some appropriations.

After public testimony the committee moved to roll‑call votes and reported nearly all 16 bills out to the Senate floor. The chair noted the compressed schedule during a floor session day and thanked staff from both parties for heavy, overnight work on the package.