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SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday amended his Trump-proofing special legislative session to address the state’s wildfire crisis.
Newsom is calling for lawmakers to accelerate $1 billion in emergency response funding for the historic Los Angeles-area fires, new money to help rebuild and repair schools affected by those fires faster, and another $1.5 billion to go toward making the state more formidable against future wildfire threats. It was not immediately clear how soon these proposals could be approved.
Just a week out from President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, Newsom’s announcement came hours after California Democrats agreed to a $50 million deal to strengthen the state’s legal defenses against the incoming administration and combat any mass deportation attempts.
The deal has been criticized by some Republicans who feel the state’s priority should be focused on the ongoing fire response in Southern California.
“The disconnect between what Californians need and what Democrats are focused on is astounding,” Assemblyman James Gallagher said.
The move by Newsom to address the wildfire response and crisis with a special session is also something Republicans had been urging the governor to do while putting an end to the special session on how to “protect California values” from Trump.
Republican lawmakers have been critical of that special session, calling it a “waste of money and a waste of time.”
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said in a statement following Newsom’s announcement, in part, “lumping this emergency response together with a politically motivated special session to sue Trump is unnecessary and, frankly, insulting to those struggling through this disaster.”
Newsom and other California leaders have been facing criticism over the response to the destructive wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area.
In a visit to the wildfire area last week, cameras were rolling when Newsom had a tense confrontation with a mother who said her daughter’s school had burned down. Trump has also been quick to call out Newsom.
In response to wildfire response criticism, Newsom has highlighted how quickly he got a major disaster declaration from President Biden. Other California Democrats have praised Newsom’s actions to expedite wildfire recovery efforts.
