SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Legislature finished work on a spending plan that closes a historic $54.3 deficit, sending a $202.1-billion state budget to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday. This plan relying heavily on $14 billion in additional congressional coronavirus relief to avert cuts to early and higher education and delaying $11 billion in payments for K-12 and charter schools for a year.
The spending plan passed on a 57-16 vote.
Delays in some of the state’s funding for K-12 schools and community colleges granted in the single largest solution to the deficit. Lawmakers agreed to defer $12.5 billion in school funds that would otherwise have been required to be paid in the fiscal year that ends next week or the 2020-2021 year.
The delayed payments can be reversed if sufficient money is sent to California by Congress and President Trump in early fall.
The budget provided no planned layoffs in 2020-21 for teachers and classified employees who provide custodial, nutrition and transportation services.
As far as the Cal State University and University of California system, the budget restores the increase in support by 5%, or $169 million, as proposed in Newsom’s budget. If Congress doesn’t provide additional stimulus relief by Oct. 1, the budget will be cut $470 million from UC's and $500 million from CSU's.
