Goodbye 2025, Welcome 2026! Now get into the new laws that shall take into effect.
Tons of brand‑fresh laws were approved by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom this year. That includes measures to lower drug costs and require landlords to maintain refrigerators and stoves in apartments.
Every January, California rolls out a fresh batch of policy shifts — housing, healthcare, consumer protections, workplace rules — and 2026 is no different. Below is a quick‑hit rundown of some of the confirmed changes landing as the new year kicks in.
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New California Laws Taking Effect
AI in Hollywood
- AB 2602: Illegal to use AI to duplicate an actor’s voice or likeness without consent.
- AB 1836: Prohibits using deceased actors’ voices or likenesses without estate consent.
Cannabis
- AB 1775: Allows cannabis retailers/consumption lounges to sell freshly prepared non-cannabis food and beverages with local approval.
Housing
- SB 450: Removes zoning restrictions to allow homeowners to divide properties into up to four units.
- SB 1395 (Interim Housing Act): Streamlines tiny home construction for homeless residents.
- AB 2347: Extends tenant eviction response time from 5 to 10 business days.
Cars
- AB 413 (“Daylighting” law): Bans parking within 20 feet of crosswalks (15 feet with curb extensions).
- SB 1100: Job postings cannot require a valid driver’s license unless necessary.
- SB 905: Eliminates the “locked door loophole” in auto burglary cases.
Consumer
- AB 2863: Auto‑renewal services must allow cancellation via the same method used to subscribe.
- AB 375: Food delivery apps must show customers the driver’s first name and photo.
Crime
- AB 3209: Retail stores can obtain restraining orders against individuals convicted of theft, vandalism, or assault.
- AB 1779: Allows district attorneys to consolidate retail theft charges across counties.
- AB 1960: Sentencing enhancements for property damage over $50,000 during a felony.
- SB 1242: Setting a fire inside a merchant’s premises during organized retail theft becomes an aggravating factor.
- SB 1414: Soliciting or paying for sex with a minor under 16 becomes a felony.
Education & Civil Rights
- AB 1955: Schools cannot require educators to inform parents if students identify as transgender or request a different name.
- AB 1821: Schools must teach about the Mission Period and Gold Rush impacts on Native Americans.
- AB 1780: Bans legacy admissions at state‑funded colleges.
- SB 639: Requires continuing education in geriatrics and dementia care for healthcare professionals serving people 65+.
- AB 1825 (Freedom to Read Act): Public libraries cannot ban books based on race, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or political affiliation.
- AB 2867: Helps residents recover art and property stolen during the Holocaust or political persecution.
- AB 1815: Expands civil rights protections to include traits associated with race (hair texture, protective hairstyles).
Employment
- SB 988: Independent contractors must be paid by the contract date or within 30 days of service completion.
- SB 1105: Agricultural workers can use paid sick days for hazardous conditions (smoke, extreme heat).
- AB 2499: Employees can take paid state leave for issues related to being a victim; employers must provide safety accommodations.
Firearms
- AB 2917: Threats toward a group or location can be considered when issuing firearm restraining orders.
- AB 574: Firearm sale/transfer records must include confirmation that the buyer verified possession of all firearms they own within the last 30 days.
- AB 1483: Removes exemption for private party transactions in the one‑gun‑per‑30‑days rule.
- AB 1598: Firearm dealers must provide safety pamphlets outlining risks of firearm ownership.
Health
- SB 729: Insurance must cover fertility services including IVF, expanding access to LGBTQ+ families.
- AB 2515: Bans sale of menstrual products containing harmful chemicals.
- AB 1902: Pharmacies must offer accessible prescription labels for blind/low‑vision individuals.
- AB 2475: Allows the state to hold prisoners in hospital for mental health treatment for up to 30 days.
- SB 1061: Bans medical debt from appearing on credit reports.
Money
- Minimum Wage Increase: $16 → $16.50 per hour.
- AB 2017: State‑chartered banks cannot charge fees for attempted withdrawals with insufficient funds.
- SB 764: Parents profiting from social media posts featuring their children must set aside earnings for them.
- AB 1880: Extends Coogan Law to minors working as content creators; requires trusts, record‑keeping, and transparency.
