Several new California laws start July 1, 2026 and they address issues such as smartphone use among students, food allergens, and autonomous vehicle regulations.
CALIFORNIA, USA — Several new California laws take effect July 1, 2026, including Senate Bill 1246, which pushes for stricter regulations on autonomous vehicles, Assembly Bill 3216 that requires schools to develop and adopt policies that limit or ban smartphone use during school hours and Senate Bill 79, which increases housing development near transit areas.
This story continues below.
Here is a list of the new California laws.
California Senator Scott Wiener introduced Senate Bill 79, which is aimed at boosting housing development near transit areas. The proposed legislation will allow housing projects within a certain distance from transit stops to be built on any site designated for residential, mixed, or commercial use, provided they comply with specific requirements.
Assembly Bill 660 says that starting July 1, 2026, food manufacturers, processors, and retailers that display date labels on food items must use specific uniform terms to indicate quality or safety dates. This marks a significant shift from the current practice, where “sell by” dates are frequently displayed, primarily intended for stock rotation rather than consumer guidance. This means the term ‘best if used by’ will indicate peak freshness and the ‘use by’ term is indicate when food is no longer safe to eat.
Under Senate Bill 68, starting July 1, 2026, chain restaurants in California must comply with federal nutrient disclosure requirements and will need to provide written notification about major food allergens present in their menu items. This notification can be included either directly on menus or in a digital format. The federal regulations apply to chain restaurants with 20 or more locations that offer similar menu items. This bill would add sesame to the list of major food allergens, which include milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans.
California lawmakers are pushing for stricter regulations on autonomous vehicles, focusing on ensuring safety during their operation on public roads. Senate Bill 1246 will reinforce existing laws requiring remote assistants and drivers involved with commercial autonomous vehicles to be located in the United States and possess valid California driver’s licenses. Starting July 1, 2026, manufacturers of autonomous vehicles that can operate without a human physically present must maintain a dedicated emergency response phone line. These vehicles must also be equipped with a two-way voice communication device, allowing emergency personnel to communicate with a remote operator.
Senate Bill 760 requires each public and private school with grades 1 to 12 to provide at least one all-gender restroom by July 1, 2026. This restroom must be accessible to all students and include clear signage indicating its availability for all genders.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | AB 727
Starting July 1, 2026, public schools serving grades 7 to 12 and public institutions of higher education are mandated to print the telephone number and text line for an LGBTQ+ suicide hotline on identification cards. This measure builds upon existing legislation, effective July 1, 2025, which requires schools issuing pupil identification cards to include the number for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
California’s Assembly Bill 3216 changes how schools manage smartphone use among students. By July 1, 2026, school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools will be required to develop and adopt policies aimed at limiting or prohibiting smartphone use during school hours and under the supervision of school employees. Under AB 3216, local educational agencies must update their smartphone policies every five years.
Video Streaming Services | SB 576
Senate Bill 576 will regulate commercial advertisements on video streaming services. On July 1, 2026, the legislation would prevent these services from transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements at a volume louder than the accompanying video content.
Senate Bill 669 addresses the gaps in maternal and infant healthcare access in underserved areas across California, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive perinatal services. SB 669 establishes a pilot program for standby perinatal services at selected critical access hospitals. The first two hospitals selected for the pilot will be nonprofit facilities located in Humboldt and Plumas counties.
Child Abuse Prevention | SB 848
Senate Bill 848 enhances student safety by imposing new requirements related to reporting child abuse and neglect in schools. The bill mandates that comprehensive school safety plans be incorporated by July 1, 2026. By placing additional responsibilities on local educational agencies, SB 848 establishes a state-mandated local program aimed at bolstering child safety and ensuring effective responsiveness to incidents of misconduct.
Change of name and gender and sex identifier | AB 1084
Assembly Bill 1084 will streamline the name change process for people who want to align their names with their gender identity. The legislation would eliminate the current requirement allowing objections to adult name change petitions, enabling courts to grant such requests within six weeks without a hearing. For minors, the bill establishes similar provisions. If all living parents approve a name change to align with a minor’s gender identity, the court would also grant the petition within six weeks without needing a hearing. However, if not all parents sign the petition, the court is required to issue an order detailing the situation.
Transgender Privacy Act | SB 59
Senate Bill 59 will strengthen confidentiality protections for individuals seeking to change their gender or name in California. Currently, only individuals under 18 can file a petition with the superior court to recognize their gender change, with strict confidentiality requirements for their records. However, this law will extend these protections to all petitioners, regardless of age.