Senate Budget Committee advances AB 101, a $324.7 billion budget package, to the floor with 10-6 vote

The Senate Budget Committee voted 10 to 6 to advance Assembly Bill 101 — the budget act of 2025 — to the Senate floor after several hours of presentations and member debate. Senator Wiener, chair of the committee, opened the hearing by describing the package as "a budget plan...that includes approximately $324,700,000,000 in total spending, $231,900,000,000 of which is general fund."

Why it matters: AB 101 is the Legislature's two‑house budget agreement for the 2025 fiscal year and sets funding levels for K‑12 and higher education, health programs, homelessness response and disaster recovery. Committee members said the package balances immediate service protections with one‑time measures and borrowing that reduce near‑term cuts but increase out‑year fiscal pressure.

The package presented to the committee protects funding for K‑12 schools and reduces proposed cuts to the University of California and California State University systems. Carolyn Chu of the Legislative Analyst's Office told the committee the package responds to a structural deficit and differs from the governor's May revision by using internal borrowing and reducing the year‑end…