Overview
What’s the difference between a trailer bill and a policy bill? A surplus and an operating surplus? Special funds and the General Fund? And what exactly is a “Budget Bill Jr.”? Understanding these and other key budget-related terms is critical to navigating the state budget process and effectively engaging decision-makers in order to advocate for fair and just policy choices for Californians.
Key Terms
- Administration
- Appropriation
- Assembly Budget Committee
- Augmentation
- Balanced-Budget Requirement
- Baseline Budget
- Baseline Change
- Big Three (decision makers)
- Big Three (revenue sources)
- Bond Bill
- Bond Funds
- Budget Act
- Budget Ask
- Budget Agreement
- Budget Bill
- Budget Bill Jr.
- Budget Bill Provisional Language
- Budget Change Proposal (BCP)
- Budget Conference Committee
- Budget Package
- Budget Problem/Shortfall
- Budget Stabilization Account (BSA)
- Budget Window
- Budget Year
- Capital Outlay
- Constitutional Amendment
- Continuing Appropriation
- Continuous Appropriation
- Control Sections
- Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
- Cost Shift
Related Content
See our report Dollars and Democracy: A Guide to the California State Budget Process to learn more about the state budget and budget process.
- Current Year
- Deficit
- Delay
- Department of Finance (DOF)
- Early Action
- Enacted Budget
- Enactment
- Encumbrance
- Finance Letters
- Fiscal Year
- Fund Shift
- Gann Limit
- General Fund
- General Obligation (GO) Bonds
- Governor’s Budget Summary
- Governor’s Proposed Budget
- January 10
- June 15
- Lease-Revenue Bonds
- Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
- Line-Item Veto
- Local Assistance
- May 14
- May Revision
- Multiyear Projection (“the Multiyear”)
- Multiyear Window
California Budget
The California budget is the pathway to building a just and equitable state. By ensuring Californians have access to engage in meaningful conversations and strategic decisions, our budget and policies can better reflect Californians’ values and aspirations.
- One-Time Cost
- Operating Deficit
- Operating Surplus
- Policy Bill
- Proposition 2 (2014)
- Proposition 25 (2010)
- Proposition 26 (2010)
- Proposition 54 (2016)
- Proposition 98 (1988)
- Public School System Stabilization Account (PSSSA)
- Rainy Day Fund
- Reduction
- Resources
- Revenue
- Reversion
- Safety Net Reserve
- Score
- Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
- Solution
- Special Funds
- Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties (SFEU)
- State Appropriations Limit
- State Operations
- Statute
- Subventions
- Surplus
- Sweep
- Tax Expenditure
Related Content
Walk through the California budget process — including deadlines and the role of the governor, the Legislature, and the public in making policy decisions for our communities — in Looking Ahead to 2024: The State Budget Process Explained.