California Calls Special Legislative Session to Address Concerns About Trump Administration
On November 7, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for a special session of the California Legislature to take steps to protect California from anticipated changes driven by the new Trump administration. While many of the Governor’s areas of concern are not directly related to healthcare (including protecting civil rights, climate action, and immigrant families), there is a focus on reproductive rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
The special session convened on December 2. The primary goal of the session is to provide additional resources to the state Department of Justice (and related entities) via a $25 million dollar fund, both to pursue litigation against Trump policies and to defend against any Federal suits challenging existing California laws. California sued the first Trump administration more than 120 times, spending approximately $42 million in litigation costs. The Governor’s office estimated that these suits resulted in millions of dollars in reimbursements from the Federal government, and protected billions in federal funding. Senate President pro tem Mike McGuire stated, “Where we can work with the incoming federal administration, we will. Where the rights, safety, and economic security of Californians may be in danger, we will be prepared and we will respond.”