California has spent millions fighting the Trump administration. Here’s what to know

California has poured more millions of dollars into legal battles against the Trump administration, with its attorneys logging over 154,000 hours on federal lawsuits in roughly nine months. The state’s more than 120 legal actions span issues including funding, immigration, health care and gender policy.

Here are key takeaways:

• The cost is growing fast: California Department of Justice workers devoted 92,212 hours to Trump-related lawsuits in the 2024-25 budget cycle — 11 times more than the entire previous year. The roughly $30 million set aside for the 2025-26 budget will not be enough, according to a state budget request.

• The state says it’s been worth it: Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said California recovered $188 billion in federal funding that the administration had withheld for programs including education, public safety and medical research.

• Funding disputes dominate the docket: Of the more than 60 lawsuits filed, 31 relate to federal money withheld from California for political or budgetary reasons, according to The Bee’s breakdown of the cases.

• Other major issues include energy, health care and immigration: Ten lawsuits involve energy and the environment, eight address health care and research, seven involve gender issues, seven touch on education, seven relate to immigration and seven address poverty-related policies.

• Republicans say California should negotiate first: State Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, questioned the approach, saying, “Why not use a more collaborative approach?” Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Fresno, said the state might have won funding back without paying for lawsuits.

• The pace is expected to continue: The state is on track to exceed the roughly 120 lawsuits filed during Trump’s first term over four years. Bonta’s office said the administration “is breaking the law more than once a week.”