Attorney General urges flexibility for securities fund, warns of funding gaps and child-victims litigation exposure

Attorney General Brown and a Department of Legislative Services analyst outlined the Office of the Attorney General's proposed fiscal 2026 budget and warned of funding gaps tied to special-fund reliance and ongoing litigation.

The budget analysis presented by Jacob Polikoff of the Department of Legislative Services showed a fiscal 2026 allowance of $90,100,000 for the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), an increase of $9,800,000 (12.3%) over the fiscal 2025 working appropriation after accounting for proposed deficiencies and contingent reductions. Polikoff said the allowance includes creation of 31 new regular positions, including five new assistant attorneys general and positions supporting the office's consumer protection and opioids units.

The nut graf: the office is asking for changes in how special funds can be spent and for the General Assembly to consider restoring or otherwise addressing general fund reductions, while the department faces potentially large liabilities from Child Victims Act litigation that currently has no designated settlement funding.

Polikoff briefed members that the fiscal 2026 allowance reflects three proposed fiscal 2025 deficiencies and contingent reductions tied to provisions of the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act…