CA prepares anti-Trump fund

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders plan to put aside $50 million in state cash to pay for the authorized prices of preventing President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.

The deal comes two months after Newsom first known as a particular session on learn how to deal with Trump’s presidency.

The Meeting is anticipated to contemplate a invoice that will put aside $25 million for “robust affirmative litigation” by the state’s Division of Justice, which can seemingly come to blows with Trump over California’s environmental insurance policies, abortion entry, protections for LGBTQ+ college students and extra.

Democratic state officers additionally plan to push again if Trump follows via along with his threats to conduct mass deportationswhich advocates and economists say would disrupt households and devastate California’s economic system. One other invoice within the Senate would allocate $25 million for native efforts that present authorized support providers associated to immigration protection, in addition to different disputes together with wage theft, evictions and office protections.

Republican legislators have criticized the particular session as divisive and denounced the deal on Sunday. In a press releaseMeeting GOP chief James Gallagher of Chico argued the state can be making a “slush fund” for “hypothetical fights” and to “defend criminal illegal immigrants.”

Flooring votes for the price range proposals may come as early as this week, experiences Politicowhich might allow Newsom to approve them earlier than Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

All unspent cash from the settlement can be returned to the state’s normal fund, in response to a spokesperson for Sen. Scott Wienera San Francisco Democrat and chairperson of the price range committee.

Throughout Trump’s first time period, California spent no less than $41 million suing the administrationwhich largely went to paying attorneys, authorized secretaries and different justice division staff.

“Trump-proofing” California wasn’t the one merchandise on the particular session agenda. On Monday Gov. Newsom and top-ranking Democratic lawmakers proposed earmarking $1 billion for wildfire reduction and restoration in Southern California.

For per week, firefighters have been battling a number of fires in Los Angeles Countywhich have killed no less than 24 folks. Some estimate the blazes will price the state as a lot as $275 billion and worsen the state’s insurance coverage market disaster. As of Monday night, the most important hearth, the Palisades Hearthis greater than 23,000 acres and is 14% contained.

The $1 billion would fund the state’s emergency response, cleanup and restoration for affected communities, and must be eligible for federal reimbursement, in response to Newsom’s workplace. The governor additionally needs to “accelerate the availability” of $1.5 billion from the recently-passed local weather bond to arrange the state for different pure disasters.

Wildfire interactive: And to get a greater sense of the L.A. fires’ sizes, take a look at this interactive map by CalMatters knowledge reporter Jeremia Kimelman and knowledge and interactives editor John Osborn D’Agostino.

Funding for a federal program that helps rural faculties, together with ones in California, has expired — and districts are scrambling to push Congress to reintroduce a invoice that will renew the cash earlier than Congress should attain a price range deal in March.

As CalMatters’ Carolyn Jones explains, the century-old program serves as a “lifeline” for the state’s rural faculties: California receives essentially the most cash from the fund, and final 12 months it offered practically $40 million to 39 of its counties.

However the invoice to resume funding died in December, after the Republican Home Speaker didn’t put it ahead for a vote. Republican Congressional leaders have additionally vowed to scale back authorities spendingand Trump stated he needs to shut down the U.S. Division of Schoolingtogether with making different cuts to varsities.

Jamie Inexperienced, a Trinity County superintendent, says that with out the cash, the district could should eradicate jobs, have larger class sizes and eradicate enrichment applications.

• Inexperienced: “We’re an impoverished county, and the only way to reverse that pattern of poverty is through education. Cutting funding hurts kids.”

Learn extra right here.