[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6682570,"mediaKeyId","2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313","parentId",2145523,"title","Senate backs $25 million in legal aid, immigration services to protect Californians from federal enforcement actions","audioSeconds",1941,"startMs",6901000,"endMs",8842000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313&start=6901&end=8842","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313/thumbnail_6901000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6682570/California/Senate-backs-25-million-in-legal-aid-immigration-services-to-protect-Californians-from-federal-enforcement-actions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6682570-de04adec1484141bfc52d30653b76ef4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770428083&Signature=Nn8Z6Xekr6HekvR5-EVmTOkR6CubkQGjGc7rWBiFiBM7ERhNQKIlSWT9aQT8~LcXDU~OqK4kOahfclqNW3t~ZfaI9rsSoGr-YdFxtCKTWwLQvTpdhCrsrEV9Ky40tAmHVvrir0pylprhKEQh2h3BRUArJWN2kujK-D7u-gU1lntnMPEgYssBO0wGKdMalwfIeDyZzdYD53-D1btx3UFOc8TgKzxjMWcOYFfJIe847Q67wCYICDiu5yH57puWM9ZDnuwpIDHAUAIkqE1Pemm1A6TbINA2vPYsxbmwk7wsF-tDPA7fO8ptneKO9nItHc8yTBJ3vwM81JprgRsj1GGoAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","article","The California State Senate on Jan. 23 approved SBX2, a budget-related measure that provides $25 million for civil legal aid and immigration services, distributed through the Equal Access Fund and the Access to Justice Commission, to assist vulnerable Californians whose safety or civil rights may be threatened by federal actions.

Senator Wiener described the measure on the floor: \"The funding will provide legal and immigration services to vulnerable Californians whose safety and civil rights are being threatened by federal actions.\" Supporters argued funds will provide legal counsel, representation and community education to people at risk of arrest, deportation or civil-rights violations; proponents described the aid as a way to preserve due process and protect families in disaster and enforcement contexts.

Opponents warned the funding could produce unintended consequences. Senator Hurtado said she supported the protection goals but cautioned that increased federal enforcement could produce collateral arrests in communities and that legal services alone would not stop deportations; she urged caution and emphasized the need for systemic immigration reform. Senator Balladares argued the proposal could increase risk to victims of human trafficking and other public-safety concerns and urged a no vote.

Other speakers described real-world impacts: Senator Perez described immigrant residents who \"freak out and run out of the room\" when seeking FEMA help and said fear of deportation is discouraging people from retrieving aid or participating in cleanup and rebuilding. Senator Caballero described effects on agricultural supply chains and local economies when immigration enforcement sweeps reduce labor availability.

Vote and next steps: The Senate recorded 35 yeas, 0 nays on SBX2 and the measure was adopted. Supporters said the funds would be distributed through existing legal-services channels and nongovernmental organizations; advocates and legislators signaled they would continue pushing for broader immigration reform while using the funding to provide immediate legal help.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Floor Session, Thursday, January 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","SBX2 (a budget bill) directs $25 million for civil legal aid and immigration services through existing state programs to help vulnerable Californians facing federal enforcement; the Senate passed the measure after debate over effectiveness and risk of unintended consequences.","taxTitle","California State Senate, Senate, Legislative, California","taxId",77650,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6682575,"Senate allocates $25 million to state DOJ to defend California policies against federal actions",712,5897000,6609000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313&start=5897&end=6609","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313/thumbnail_5897000.jpg","/articles/6682575/California/Senate-allocates-25-million-to-state-DOJ-to-defend-California-policies-against-federal-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6682575-4d22677ea9993de86ff4e587277f740f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770428083&Signature=JDytCS0ZxTtiwR-EQ8ICY4qhYODKrKA4tyLvYKioowazYmc5~ttuPVh2m2RnjNn71CICIUpcAUj1WSLFcrI-JeRykLuZ93GqlpbpnBgg7c7LmwiadfewlqYfnDM1Bw8p9UktrsqFyPdaafgdkiLGVxnLdQdF8fnZeIBPywBQW0IXokyBfZTnFX4m-2MiSBnTUljKHLj2V~COoWFx35su6Th73APQDV39fWh-WOzXQtM7bDmRWFeC5hYcm09Bwqx-s4FVst72M4YhSioIxNeTecRmdwGwXVepE29cOnLsfFvcsKyA7-vsoe3tlJ4oEJVoNROys1X9c2ea5nueuzwfBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California State Senate on Jan. 23 approved SB1, a budget bill that provides up to $25 million to the Department of Justice and other state agencies to defend California in legal disputes with the federal government.

Sponsor remarks summarized the measure as a state defense appropriation: \"SB 1 is a budget bill... provides up to $25,000,000 for the Department of Justice and other state agencies to defend California against federal actions,\" Senator Scott Wiener told the chamber. The bill requires the Department of Justice to report to the Legislature on use of the funds.

Debate covered both legal strategy and policy concerns. Senator Searto argued the state already holds funds — he noted an \"unfair competition law fund\" balance — and said those monies should be used before drawing from the general fund. Searto warned additional spending could be \"counterintuitive to the good working relationship that the governor has expressed that he wants to have\" with the federal government.

Supporters framed the appropriation as necessary to protect civil-rights, labor, environmental and other state policies from federal rollbacks. Senator Smallwood Cuevas said recent federal actions targeting equity and civil-rights programs risked harming marginalized communities and said the funds would support the Department of Justice and legal-aid organizations.

Vote and next steps: The Senate recorded 27 yeas on SB1 and the measure was adopted. The measure allocates the funding and requires reporting on the use of those funds to the Legislature.","The Senate approved SB1, a budget-related bill that provides up to $25 million for the California Department of Justice and other agencies to defend state laws and programs from federal challenges and requires reporting on use of funds.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6682580,"Senate approves $2.5 billion emergency package to jump-start Los Angeles wildfire recovery",3233,318000,3551000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313&start=318&end=3551","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145523-2785ae152f702ff17e3b038aa7328313/thumbnail_318000.jpg","/articles/6682580/California/Senate-approves-25-billion-emergency-package-to-jump-start-Los-Angeles-wildfire-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6682580-b12aff87df184fddb11939c9119a4aa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770428083&Signature=gClCoU-RPeY7X0b7e4nQd1MAqMUIl15JTUMkAWVzGTkUacxF-8Pc5udhyUCxPFl3KbTm1ffTpw0tpEtUEwWdcWRmpcmWl2hRqXqD-GIB7nLzqtW9QZB5J-gsmt8ECT9F5U4TIlx~BM22eIinsmwJb8a8a~zmIeNdXrHEpyL0LauxbILypVL~UgWL4dm85MYEZW7Ci1bYoGaXCaC8BtivV62Xch8vZqsrlnJ7NlSPBGeiNcIkTf7mY13WS1lFvF6gj6BM0lgwAHJ34WEFdnA1Ab6X7UV1t092mp7rvySCc3Os7VMwmwNuXlXV2IEwCk6-UjFP8VJRgbFZToYfjdwoUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California State Senate on Jan. 23 approved SBX13, a budget-related emergency measure that is part of a $2.500 billion package to speed cleanup and recovery in areas of Los Angeles County affected by January wildfires.

SBX13 \"appropriates up to $1,000,000,000 in one-time general fund for augmentations to departments and agencies to be used in accordance with the disaster response emergency operations account requirements in areas of the state affected by the wildfire state of emergency declared by the governor in January of this year,\" Senate Majority Leader Scott Wiener said on the floor. The measure also designates $4,000,000 one-time general fund to the Department of Housing and Community Development for a grant program to help local governments expedite homeowner rebuilding, and $1,000,000 one-time general fund for assistance to impacted local educational agencies to rebuild and recover school facilities damaged by the wildfires.

Why it matters: lawmaker supporters said fast cash is intended to remove immediate barriers — debris removal, environmental testing and permitting — so residents can safely return and rebuilding can begin, while other lawmakers urged the Legislature to pair the funding with longer-term prevention and workforce planning.

Discussion focused on immediate relief and future prevention. Senator Seyarto noted existing executive authority, saying, \"The Emergency Services Act gives him broad authority along with the California Constitution and the Disaster Assistance Act. He can do all of that with a stroke of the pen.\" Several senators, including Senator Smallwood Cuevas and Senator Perez, urged that recovery spending be guided by equity and protect historic and low-income neighborhoods such as Altadena and parts of Pasadena; Perez said the Eaton Fire had \"claimed 17 lives and... destroyed over 9,000 structures,\" numbers he cited to underscore urgency.

Senators also raised operational details and constraints. Senator Grove asked whether remediation and hazardous-waste work would involve CalRecycle approvals and whether funds would address property tax reassessments and workforce shortages. Senator Wiener responded that the initial remediation and clearing of toxics will be led by U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers and that the state is \"fronting the money, and we will be reimbursed at 100%\" by the federal government. He described the package as a rapid first step and said longer-term issues — insurance, workforce capacity and mitigation — would require additional legislative work.

Supporters highlighted school and health protections. Senator Cabaldon urged faster turnaround on school construction permits so students can return, calling for reengineering of state school construction processes. Senator Allen described high lead and chlorine measurements in the days after the fire and emphasized the public-health need for air and water testing.

Vote and next steps: The Senate recorded a roll-call vote in which the measure received 36 yeas, 0 nays; the measure passed. SBX13 will return to the Assembly as part of the package (ABX14/AB4) and proponents said additional supplemental appropriations and statutory cleanup could follow as recovery needs become clearer.

Proponents said the package is intended to provide immediate cash for cleanup, debris removal, environmental testing, expedited permitting and short-term housing and school support; several senators stressed the dollars are an initial down payment and that further work is needed on prevention, workforce development and insurance.

Votes at a glance: SBX13 — Yeas 36, Nays 0; outcome: approved.

Ending: Lawmakers said the funding is meant to accelerate work already under way and to bridge the gap until federal reimbursement arrives, while also signaling the start of a longer legislative effort on mitigation, housing and rebuilding policy.","The California Senate unanimously passed SBX13 as part of a $2.5 billion emergency package to fund immediate cleanup, remediation, housing and school rebuilding in areas hit by January wildfires, with reporting and federal-reimbursement provisions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate backs $25 million in legal aid, immigration services to protect Californians from federal enforcement actions

Senate allocates $25 million to state DOJ to defend California policies against federal actions

Senate approves $2.5 billion emergency package to jump-start Los Angeles wildfire recovery