California lawmakers postpone special session to ‘Trump-proof’ state, due to wildfires
California lawmakers have postponed a special legislation session that was scheduled for Tuesday in an effort to “Trump-proof” the Golden State ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration. The decision to delay the session was made due to the devastating wildfires that are currently ravaging the Los Angeles region.
According to a member of the California Assembly budget office, the hearing was postponed because Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, the chairman of the committee, is unable to attend the session as he represents areas that have been severely impacted by the wildfires. The new date for the session is still uncertain at this time.
Despite the postponement, lawmakers have been working to adjust the legislation. Additional proposals have been added to the special session bills, including the creation of a new website to track anticipated lawsuits between the state and the Trump administration, additional rules surrounding the use of an extra $25 million for the California Department of Justice to fight legal battles, and a proposal for $25 million in grants for legal services and immigration support.
This news comes shortly after a reporter with KCRA questioned Democratic Speaker of the California Assembly, Robert Rivas, about the timing of the legislative session. The reporter raised concerns about whether it was appropriate to hold a special session to allocate funds to fight Trump when lawmakers could already do so without the need for a special session. Rivas focused on the wildfires and did not directly address the reporter’s question.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the special legislative session shortly after Trump’s electoral victory in an effort to bolster the state’s legal fund against potential attacks from the Trump administration. Trump responded to the announcement by criticizing Newsom on his Truth Social account, accusing him of trying to prevent “Make California Great Again” initiatives.
Between 2017 and 2021, California’s Department of Justice led 122 lawsuits against Trump administration policies, spending $42 million on litigation. Newsom’s office highlighted a case where the federal government was ordered to reimburse California nearly $60 million in public safety grants.
While California filed over 100 lawsuits against the Trump administration, Trump only initiated four major lawsuits against the state. In 2018, Trump’s DOJ filed a lawsuit over three California sanctuary state laws that restricted cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and also sued California for its state-level net neutrality law.
It remains to be seen when the rescheduled special session will take place, as lawmakers continue to navigate the challenges posed by the ongoing wildfires and the looming inauguration of President-elect Trump.
