Dozens of bills have been signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in recent weeks, poised to impact Californians at the gas pump, students’ diets, homeowners associations and address ongoing federal immigration enforcement in the state.
It comes as the state gears up for another major change: A statewide special election on Nov. 4, where voters will decide on the mid-Census redistricting known as Prop 50.
While numerous new bills have been passed, we’re compiling just several of the many that could have an impact on Californians’ lives.
AB 30: New blends of gas can be sold in California, for now
AB 30 allows for blends of gas containing ethanol to be sold in California until certain actions are made by the California Environmental Policy Council and the State Air Resources Board. This act was considered an urgency statute and goes immediately into effect as part of helping reduce gas prices in the state.
AB 49: Immigration enforcement at schools
AB 49 bans school officials and employees of a local education agency from allowing an officer or an employee of an agency conducting immigration enforcement to enter a nonpublic area of a school site for any purpose without being presented a valid warrant or court order. The bill also directs these school officials to request valid identification from the officer or employee of an agency conducting immigration enforcement seeking to access the nonpublic area. Under AB 49, local education agencies and its personnel are barred from disclosing or providing the education records or any information about a student or their family and household unless certain conditions are met.
SB 294: The Workplace Know Your Rights Act
SB 294 establishes the Workplace Know Your Rights Act and requires employers to provide a written notice to employees of certain workers’ rights, as well as constitutional rights of an employee when interacting with law enforcement at the workplace. It also directs employers to notify an employee’s emergency contact if the employee has been arrested or detained on the worksite. However, that’s if an employee has notified their employer they’d like for their designated emergency contact to be notified in such a circurmstance.
SB 98: Notifications regarding immigration enforcement at schools
Among what SB 98 does is direct school officials to include in their comprehensive school safety plan procedures about notifying parents and guardians, teachers and other personnel when the school confirms the presence of immigration enforcement on site.
AB 56: Warnings displayed on social media
AB 56 enacts the Social Media Warning Law, which requires certain platforms to display a specific warning to certain users accessing the platform. According to the bill’s text, the warning displayed will say, “The Surgeon General has warned that while social media may have benefits for some young users, social media is associated with significant mental health harms and has not been proven safe for young users.”
AB 656: Deleting your social media account
AB 656 requires social media platforms “to provide a clear and conspicuous button” that allows for users to delete their account and gives users the necessary steps to delete their account and personal information if they click on that button. The bill also prohibits social media platforms from “obstructing or interfering with a user’s ability to delete their account.”
SB 627: No more facial coverings for immigration enforcement agents
SB 627, known as the No Secret Police Act, makes it a crime for a law enforcement officer, including federal officers or those acting on behalf of a federal law enforcement agency, to wear a facial covering while performing their duties, with some exceptions.
More: California bill that says federal officers can’t wear facial coverings passes
SB 243: Being transparent about AI
SB 243 relates to interactions with a “companion chatbot,” or AI that provides human-like responses to user inputs and “is capable of meeting a user’s social needs,” among other specifications. It essentially requires platforms that have these companion chatbots to issue a notification indicating the chatbot is artificially generated and not human, although there are some conditions. SB 243 also tackles suicidal and self-harm content being produced to users.
SB 640: Direct admission to California State University
SB 640 establishes the CSU Direct Admission Program, which admits students graduating from a participating school district or charter school to a participating California State University school based on certain eligibility requirements (such as being on track to complete A-G courses in high school). Students will be notified they’ve been directly admitted to a school through this program.
“We should make it as seamless for our students to go from 12th grade to the next stage of their education as was for them to go sixth grade to seventh grade,” California state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon said in a statement about the bill in September. “Direct admission removes the applications hurdle that stops some students from going to college, and relieves the fear that they won’t get in anywhere.”
AB 1340: Uber and Lyft drivers get right to unionize
Scores of rideshare drivers in California will be able to form a union and bargain collectively under AB 1340, giving drivers the opportunity to negotiate on wages, benefits and working conditions, according to Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents thousands of workers throughout Northern California.
AB 578: Refunds and customer service help for food delivery
Among what AB 578 does is require a food delivery platform to have a “clear and conspicuous customer service feature” that allows customers to contact a person. While the platform can use an automated system to address customer service concerns, the bill requires the platform to make sure a customer can connect with a person if the automated system can’t address their concern. Additionally, AB 578 requires food delivery platforms to provide a full refund to a customer if their order isn’t delivered or they receive the wrong order — unless the customer is at fault or the refund request is fraudulent.
AB 1264: Phasing out ultra-processed foods from schools
Among what AB 1264 does is require schools to begin phasing out “ultraprocessed foods of concern” and “restricted school foods” no later than July 1, 2029. It also gives some direction to the California Department of Public Health as it defines “ultraprocessed foods of concern and restricted school foods.” Starting July 1, 2032, vendors are prohibited from offering such foods to a school.
SB 576: No more loud ads
SB 576 prohibits video streaming services from transmitting the audio of a commercial louder than the video itself. This bans such a practice starting July 1, 2026.
AB 628: Your apartment must have a stove and fridge
For a unit to be suitable for tenant, it must have a stove and refrigerator that “are maintained in good working order” and can safely generate heat to cook and safely store food. That’s what AB 628 adds to the list of characteristics required for a unit to be “tenatable” for leases entered into, amended or extended on or after Jan. 1, 2026. These new conditions don’t apply to certain types of dwelling units, however, like permanent supportive housing.
SB 766: Canceling your used car purchase
Among what SB 766 does is bans car dealers from selling or leasing a used car without providing the buyer or lessee a three-day right to cancel the purchase or lease, although there are some conditions as to how this works.
AB 268: Diwali is now a California holiday
Through AB 268, Diwali, a religious festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, now joins the list of state holidays.
AB 1261: Undocumented minors in California get legal help
AB 1261 requires that California provide “immigrant youth” in the state, such as an undocumented minor, legal counsel — although it’s subject to the availability of state funding.
AB 653: Talent agents are also mandated reporters
AB 653 adds talent agents, talent managers or talent coaches, who provide services to a minor, to the list of individuals who are mandated reporters — people who are required to report instances of child abuse or neglect.
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: These 18 new California laws will affect your life. Here’s why