During Donald Trump's first term as president, California sued his administration more than 120 times. This time, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants state government to be ready if Trump comes after it. Newsom on Thursday called a special session of the legislature to provide more money for potential legal battles concerning civil rights, climate change, abortion rights, and disaster funding, the Los Angeles Times reports. "The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack—and we won't sit idle," the Democratic governor said in a statement. "California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond."
The governor's office said the idea is to "Trump-proof" state laws, per the AP. That office and Attorney General Rob Bonta's have tried to anticipate Trump's agenda and revisited the lawsuits filed in Trump's previous term to identify possible vulnerabilities. Bonta held a news conference Thursday to say officials are taking steps to ensure they "won't be flat-footed come January." Trump has denounced multiple California policies in the past, including during the 2024 campaign, per the New York Times. In August, for instance, the candidate suggested he would withhold federal wildfire aid unless the state diverted more water to farmers.
Newsom called the special session for Dec. 2. Lawmakers most likely will approve any legislation at the same pace as in any other session, per the Los Angeles Times. But the proclamation makes a point. "Mr. Trump repeatedly overstepped his authority between 2016 and 2020 [and] there's no reason to think he won't do it again," Bonta said. New York and Washington also are considering legal strategies to shield their policies from the Trump administration, per the AP. The president-elect takes office on Jan. 20. (More California stories.)
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