California Gov. Newsom starts special session, ‘safeguard’ from Trump [Video]

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s special legislative session to safeguard California from potential “federal overreach” by the incoming Trump administration began Monday, teeing up a potential battle between the president-elect and the most populous U.S. state.

Newsom is working with lawmakers to create a new litigation fund of up to $25 million to support California’s legal resources in anticipation of “policy proposals that would harm the state,” according to a release from the governor’s office Monday. Reproductive rights and environmental causes are two of the focus areas.

The fund would be for the California Department of Justice and other state agencies to be used for court challenges and administrative actions. Newsom announced the session following Trump’s election victory last month. Hearings will take place over the next several weeks, with a goal of signing legislation into law before Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20.

Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump transition, said in …