Gavin Newsom will deliver delayed California State of the State speech with budget done
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom will release a delayed State of the State address Tuesday in a recorded speech to be broadcast across his office’s social media channels and website.
The Governor’s Office said Sunday that Newsom’s remarks to Californians will be released at 10 a.m. after a copy of the speech is transmitted to the Legislature.
Newsom’s remarks will come on the heels of a budget agreement announced Saturday, closing a $47 billion shortfall in a $297.9 billion spending plan.
The address, originally scheduled for March, was pushed off as the administration awaited the results of a ballot measure, Proposition 1, the governor had championed. Prop. 1, which taps nearly $6.4 billion to target those who are in crisis, experiencing chronic homelessness or who have mental health or substance abuse problems, as well as for veteran housing, was approved by voters in March by a razor-thin margin.
The annual State of the State speeches generally highlight accomplishments and lay out an administration’s goals and policies. Newsom’s past addresses have focused on the state’s most pressing issues, including homelessness, climate change, housing and wildfires.
In 2023, Newsom didn’t give a formal speech. Instead, the governor opted to unveil new policies and goals during a planned four-stop tour of the state.
Newsom’s decision to not give a formal address was not unprecedented. Former Gov. Jerry Brown combined his swearing-in ceremony with the address in 2015.
Newsom’s first State of the State speech in 2019 covered his priorities, from wildfires to job creation to holding local officials accountable for housing production.
In 2020, the governor’s speech focused on fixing the state’s homelessness crisis. In 2021, he delivered his speech to an empty Dodger Stadium, which served as one of the state’s largest COVID-19 vaccination sites. In 2022, among other priorities, Newsom also spoke about rising gas prices and the Ukrainian crisis.
