SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – December 2, 2024 is the start of the last month of the calendar year but the start of something new in California.

“We’re going to kick things off in a special session, a special session,” said state Sen. Steve Padilla of San Diego.

The special session was called by Governor Gavin Newsom.

“This is about making sure that our Department of Justice has all the resources and everything it needs,” Padilla said.

The special session was called just days after President-elect Donald Trump was elected to the White House.

In previous statements, the governor’s office said the session’s goal was to strengthen the state’s legal resources to protect civil rights, reproductive freedom, climate action and immigrant families.

“We’re going to make sure that we’re able to intervene when we need to to protect people’s rights and ensure that these costs don’t fall on the people of California,” Padilla said.

State Sen. Brian Jones called the move a publicity stunt by the governor.

“Of all the special sessions that have been called since I’ve been in the Legislature, this one is the most meaningless,” Jones said.

He said the state Legislature will return already Monday to swear in new members.

“Any policy proposals he has can be implemented during the regular session. The governor is very good at headlines and he knew calling a special session would make headlines,” Jones said.

But what exactly will be the agenda? Both say they’re still waiting to find out.

We know that a bill to set aside $25 million in legal fees is being proposed as early as Monday.

ABC 10News reached out to the governor’s office and the president-elect’s office for comment on the special session.

The Trump-Vance transition team told ABC 10News in a statement from transition team spokesperson Karoline Leavitt: “President Trump received the most votes for a Republican presidential candidate in the Deep blue state of California since 2004. Californians showed up for President Trump in a historic time. numbers because they can’t afford four more years of Gavin Newsom’s dangerously liberal agenda: high taxes, unaffordable housing costs, and an invasion of illegal immigrants from our wide-open border. Newsom will try to protect California from Trump’s America First agenda, but President Trump will keep his promise to make America great again for ALL Americans in red and blue states.

Governor Newsom’s office sent the following statement: “California is the backbone of the country – from the economy to innovation to protecting and investing in the rights and freedoms of all. We will work with the new administration and we want President Trump to succeed in serving all Americans. But when there are excesses, when lives are threatened, when rights and freedoms are targeted, we will act. And that’s exactly what this special session is about: setting this state up for success, regardless of who sits in the White House.