Newsom Calls Lawmakers to Secure Climate Goals Against Trump
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom moved Nov. 7 to shield the state’s zero-emission vehicle requirements from federal interference, announcing plans for a special legislative session following Donald Trump’s presidential victory.
The move came a day after the former president defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race. Newsom’s office told The Associated Press that the governor and lawmakers are ready to “Trump-proof” California’s state laws, including those affecting the transportation sector.
Trump has been a vocal critic of California’s environmental regulations, particularly its mandate that all new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs sold in the state be electric, hydrogen-powered or plug-in hybrids by 2035. The state also gave regulators power to penalize oil companies for what it considers excessive profits.
“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Newsom said in a statement. “California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond. We are prepared to fight in the courts, and we will do everything necessary to ensure Californians have the support and resources they need to thrive.”
State Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office spent the past year reviewing more than 120 lawsuits the state filed during Trump’s first term in preparation for new federal actions. His office has been working with Democratic attorneys general across the nation in anticipation of Trump’s victory.
California Republican lawmakers called Newsom’s announcement a “political stunt.”
“The only ‘problem’ it will solve is Gavin Newsom’s insecurity that not enough people are paying attention to him,” Republican leader of the state Assembly James Gallagher said in a statement about the special session.
Trump’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
This report was adapted from the original Associated Press article.
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