California lawmakers have passed a 2021 state budget that reflects a partial deal with Governor Gavin Newsom on most key issues, including $8 billion in stimulus checks for middle-income Californians and expanded funding for homeless aid.
Newsom and lawmakers have not yet announced a final deal on all aspects of the spending plan, but lawmakers say they’ve reached agreement on most areas, including on expanding health coverage to more undocumented immigrants. The $262.6 billion proposal now on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk would restore spending cuts to public schools, colleges and universities, the courts, child support services and state worker salaries — all things that were cut last year when state officials thought they were facing a record budget deficit because of the coronavirus, according to KCRA.
Erika Li, chief deputy for the California Department of Finance, said the debt "is a priority for this administration."
"It is something we are working on and will continue to work on," she said.