A slate of new California laws going into effect in 2026 runs the gamut from cat declawing to mask bans for law enforcement and new transparency rules for artificial intelligence.Senate Bill 40Passed in an effort to reduce costs for those diagnosed with diabetes.It’s designed to cap the price of a 30-day supply of insulin to $35.It would also limit what is called “step therapy,” which is when insurance companies require patients to use lower-cost insulin before authorizing high-cost coverage.Senate Bill 627The bill makes it a crime for law enforcement officers to wear a mask in California. It also requires agencies to create a policy limiting the use of facial coverings.The bill covers city, county, state and federal agencies.The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit over this, saying the new rule threatens the safety of officers who are facing “unprecedented” harassment, doxing and violence and says they will not comply.Assembly Bill 867Makes it illegal to declaw a cat for nonmedical reasons.The American Veterinary Medical Association has come out against this new law, saying “veterinarians should be allowed to exercise professional judgement as to whether to perform a surgical procedure on a case-by-case basis.”California is the seventh state to put such a law into place.Assembly Bill 628This law would impact landlords.It would require them to provide a working stove and refrigerator for tenants.The law also requires a landlord to repair or replace a stove or refrigerator that is subject to a manufacturer recall within 30 days of receiving notice of the recall.Assembly Bill 250It extends the time to bring civil sexual assault claims, giving plaintiffs a two-year window to revive old cases.It would apply to open up private employers to renewed liability for alleged “cover ups” through past confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements.Senate Bill 760It would require schools to provide at least one all-gender restroom for pupil use. Schools are allowed to convert existing restrooms to comply. It also applies to charter schools.Senate Bill 243It would provide transparency when it comes to the use of artificial intelligence, specifically targeting regulations on companion chatbots.The Federal Trade Commission defines chatbots as programs that “effectively mimic human characteristics, emotions, and intentions, and generally are designed to communicate like a friend or confidant, which may prompt some users, especially children and teens, to trust and form relationships with chatbots.”The new law would require someone operating a chatbot to make sure those using it know it is not a real human.It would also require a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm content for the user, as specified, and would require an operator to publish details on that protocol on the operator’s website.If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here.Senate Bill 1053The state is taking another shot at a plastic bag ban by closing a loophole that allowed certain plastic bags to continue being distributed.This new law completely bans the use of plastic carryout bags in stores and maintains the 10-cent fee on paper bags.See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
A slate of new California laws going into effect in 2026 runs the gamut from cat declawing to mask bans for law enforcement and new transparency rules for artificial intelligence.
Senate Bill 40
Passed in an effort to reduce costs for those diagnosed with diabetes.
It’s designed to cap the price of a 30-day supply of insulin to $35.
It would also limit what is called “step therapy,” which is when insurance companies require patients to use lower-cost insulin before authorizing high-cost coverage.
Senate Bill 627
The bill makes it a crime for law enforcement officers to wear a mask in California. It also requires agencies to create a policy limiting the use of facial coverings.
The bill covers city, county, state and federal agencies.
The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit over this, saying the new rule threatens the safety of officers who are facing “unprecedented” harassment, doxing and violence and says they will not comply.
Assembly Bill 867
Makes it illegal to declaw a cat for nonmedical reasons.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has come out against this new law, saying “veterinarians should be allowed to exercise professional judgement as to whether to perform a surgical procedure on a case-by-case basis.”
California is the seventh state to put such a law into place.
Assembly Bill 628
This law would impact landlords.
It would require them to provide a working stove and refrigerator for tenants.
The law also requires a landlord to repair or replace a stove or refrigerator that is subject to a manufacturer recall within 30 days of receiving notice of the recall.
Assembly Bill 250
It extends the time to bring civil sexual assault claims, giving plaintiffs a two-year window to revive old cases.
It would apply to open up private employers to renewed liability for alleged “cover ups” through past confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements.
Senate Bill 760
It would require schools to provide at least one all-gender restroom for pupil use. Schools are allowed to convert existing restrooms to comply. It also applies to charter schools.
Senate Bill 243
It would provide transparency when it comes to the use of artificial intelligence, specifically targeting regulations on companion chatbots.
The Federal Trade Commission defines chatbots as programs that “effectively mimic human characteristics, emotions, and intentions, and generally are designed to communicate like a friend or confidant, which may prompt some users, especially children and teens, to trust and form relationships with chatbots.”
The new law would require someone operating a chatbot to make sure those using it know it is not a real human.
It would also require a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm content for the user, as specified, and would require an operator to publish details on that protocol on the operator’s website.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here.
Senate Bill 1053
The state is taking another shot at a plastic bag ban by closing a loophole that allowed certain plastic bags to continue being distributed.
This new law completely bans the use of plastic carryout bags in stores and maintains the 10-cent fee on paper bags.
See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel