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From KCRA Sacramento: The new year will usher in hundreds of new California laws. From protecting abortion and gender-affirming health care to legalizing jaywalking, state lawmakers and the governor approved a swath of new rules in the state that take effect in January. We take a look at those, explain the laws that go into effect later this year, and provide you an update on laws that were supposed to go into effect but may be blocked or delayed.
Health care
- Gender-affirming care: SB 107 aims to make California a sanctuary state for transgender health care, shielding transgender people, including youth and their parents, from legal action from states with bans and restrictions.
- Abortion: Several reproductive healthcare-related measures have either already taken effect or will at the start of the year in response to the United State Supreme Court’s decision to overturn federal abortion protections, which restricted access to the procedure in several states. This includes laws that protect medical records and cooperation with out-of-state entities regarding abortion restrictions (AB 2091, AB 1242), expands abortion training options and providers (SB 1375), and protections for people from criminal or civil liabilities for pregnancy loss or abortion (AB 2223).
- COVID-19: AB 2963 requires workplaces to continue providing employees with COVID-19 exposure notifications until 2024. AB 2098 makes it easier for the California Medical Board to punish doctors who spread COVID-19 misinformation.
Labor
- Minimum wage increase: SB 3 (2016) will raise California’s minimum wage to $15.50.
- Pay transparency: SB 1162 requires employers to make salary ranges for available job positions to applicants and employees. It also sets new pay data reporting requirements based on gender and race.
- Paid family leave: SB 951 increases the share of paid family leave provided to lower-income Californians. It extends what was a temporary increase in the benefit from 55% of wages to 60% to 70% depending on income. In 2025, the bill requires an increase of the benefit to 70%.
Public Safety and Criminal Justice
- Rape kits: SB 1228 prohibits law enforcement agencies from using the DNA collected from a sexual assault victim from being used in the investigation of an unrelated crime.
- Free prison phone calls: SB 1008 provides free phone calls to people detained in California prisons and jails.
- Rap lyrics in court: AB 2799 limits the use of creative expression, such as rap lyrics, as evidence in criminal cases.
- Retail theft: AB 1700 sets up a section on the state Attorney General’s office website to report stolen items.
- AB 2294 gives law enforcement the ability to keep those in custody who are accused of organized retail theft.
- Immigration status in court: SB 836 prohibits disclosure of a person’s immigration status in open court in a criminal case by any party unless approved by a judge.
- Jaywalking: AB 2147 allows pedestrians to jaywalk (or cross the street outside of an intersection) without being ticketed, as long as the crossing is done when it’s safe to do so.
Retail
- Pink tax: AB 1287 prohibits gender-based pricing on products based on who they’re marketed toward.
- Fur: AB 44 (2019) bans the sale and manufacturing of new fur clothing and accessories. It does not apply to used fur products, leather, cowhide, faux fur or shearling.
- Food packaging: AB 1200 bans the sale, distribution or offering of any food packaging that contains perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also knowns as PFAS.
Laws that take effect later this year
- Mental Health: SB 1338, also known as CARE Court, will launch new judicial branches in six California counties in October, which would provide court-ordered mental health care to severely mentally ill, unhoused people. Those counties are Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne. The rest of the state is expected to implement the new system by the end of 2024.
- Housing: AB 2011 aims to boost housing production and affordability by turning unused retail spaces into homes and communities. It goes into effect on July 1.
- Guns: AB 1594 allows the state attorney general, local prosecutors and anyone who suffered harm as a result of gun violence in California to sue firearm manufacturers.
- Sealed convictions: SB 731 allows most old convictions on non-violent or non-sex-related offenses in criminal records to be permanently sealed. It applies to previous convictions of those who completed their sentence and did not return to the criminal justice system.
New laws that may be delayed or blocked
- Farmworker unionization: AB 2183 makes it easier for farmworkers in California to unionize. The implementation of this law has been delayed following an agreement signed by the governor and labor leaders.
- The governor agreed to sign the bill, with conditions, after facing political pressure from high-profile people and politicians, including President Joe Biden.
- One of those conditions involved striking out nearly half of the measure that farmworker groups had been pushing for, while another is based on the assumption the state Legislature — a completely separate body from his branch in state government — will approve the changes he wants.
- Fast food workers: AB 257 would create a state council to bargain wages and working conditions on behalf of the than half-million fast food workers in the state. Opponents of the measure have said they have gathered more than enough signatures to keep the measure from going into effect, and to give voters the final say on the issue in 2024.
- Oil drilling boundaries: SB 1137 establishes new setbacks for new oil drilling near communities across the state. Opponents have launched the referendum process to land the issue on the 2024 ballot and face a key signature-gathering deadline this week to keep it from going into effect.
That’s an excerpt of a report from KCRA Sacramento. For the complete report and video first published 12/26/2022, visit: New California laws for 2023: Abortion, minimum wage and more laws that go into effect in January
For more on new 2023 laws, see also:
- “Everyday Life”: CapRadio: 10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023
- DMV: CA DMV HIGHLIGHTS NEW LAWS IN 2023
- Real Estate: 2023 New Laws – California Association of Realtors
- Workplace: New California Workplace Laws for 2023 – Inside Compensation
- Housing: California’s 2023 Housing Laws: What You Need to Know
➡️ Please note: The University City News website and print newsletter are free to read but are not free to produce and print and maintain. UCCA membership dues, advertising revenue, and donations help to make both the website and print newsletter possible. Membership dues also support many events, projects, and activities (such as the December Holiday Celebration, the 4th of July UC Celebration, Summer Concerts, Oktoberfest, neighborhood watch, street median and utility box beautification) that make University City more than just a neighborhood.
➡️ Please join UCCA for 2023 at: https://www.universitycitynews.org/join-ucca-today/
