Hundreds of new California laws are set to go into effect in 2025, with many of them starting Jan. 1.These include laws on Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, artificial intelligence regulation, child sex trafficking charges and retail theft.Below is a list of new California laws to know. Assembly bills will be abbreviated to AB, and Senate bills will be abbreviated to SB.These California laws go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, unless otherwise noted. Some laws will go into effect in the spring, summer and fall. Business AB 3206 — Extends the sale of alcohol until 4 a.m., but only in the 100-person VIP club of the LA Clippers’ new arena in Inglewood. This ultimately requires approval from local leaders. SB 1144 – Requires online marketplaces including eBay and Facebook Marketplace to start collecting information on high-volume, third-party sellers. This information can be shared with law enforcement to crack down on organized retail theft. This goes into effect in July. AB 1755 — Shortens the length of time used car owners have to file a lemon law lawsuit. Beginning April 1, it also requires them to notify the manufacturer in writing about car problems before filing a lawsuit for warranty violations.AB 1775 — Legalizes cannabis cafes. Cities and counties could also allow businesses to expand themselves to sell non-cannabis and non-alcoholic products. Retailers will also be allowed to hold live performances.In Sacramento, city leaders approved a pilot program that will allow social consumption of cannabis in designated areas of dispensaries.AB 2863 — Simplifies the “click to cancel” option for subscriptions to services. Requires businesses to receive consent from consumers for automatic renewal or continuous services. This will apply to contracts entered into, amended or extended after July 1, 2025. SB 1100 — Prohibits employers from requiring driver’s licenses to be part of the application process unless the position requires driving. If the job cannot be efficiently completed using alternative transportation, that is another exception to the law.SB 969 — Allows cities, counties, or city and county ordinances, to create “entertainment zones” that allow vendors to sell alcohol for consumption in those designated areas. That includes public streets, sidewalks or public rights-of-way.Previously, only the city and county of San Francisco allowed for consumption in certain zones.AB 1966 – Requires primary ticket sellers to include a notice with the ticket purchase confirmation electronically to the buyer that contains information relating to commercial sex and labor trafficking, including information regarding specified nonprofit organizations that a person can call or text for services or support in the elimination of slavery and human trafficking. Artificial intelligence and techAB 1836 — Prohibits the use of a deceased individual’s likeness using artificial intelligence.AB 1979 — Allows victims of doxxing to sue and seek damages from those responsible in court. AB 2602 —Requires informed consent by performers in film, music and other entertainment sectors if studios wish to use their likeness through digital replicas created through artificial intelligence.AB 2655 — Requires major online platforms to take down deepfake content within 72 hours of a user flagging it. Elon Musk has sued over this law, and it is on hold pending the court’s decision. AB 2839 — Allows courts to order those who publish or create deceptive election content made with artificial intelligence to remove it. AB 3216 — Requires school districts to come up with plans to limit or restrict student smartphone use by 2026. Child protectionsSB 1043 — Increases transparency at teen treatment facilities. It requires short-term residential therapeutic programs to publicly post online all instances involving the use of restraints or seclusion rooms. SB 1043 also increases access to those reports through an online dashboard. Paris Hilton led the charge pushing for the bill’s signing alongside the bill’s author, State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield.SB 1414 — Makes it a felony to purchase or solicit a child 15 years and younger for sex. It was previously a misdemeanor before the bill was signed into law. Prosecutors will have discretion when determining how to charge someone who purchases a 16- or 17-year-old for sex. California lawmakers in discussing the bill directly mentioned our documentary and the impact the consumers of the child sex trafficking industry coupled with some state laws that have allowed it to explode in some parts of the state. Watch “Escaping the Blade” here.AB 1955 — Prohibits school districts from creating policies that require teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender or requests to be identified by a different name or pronoun at school.AB 1394 — Allows child sex exploitation survivors to sue social media platforms for any app features that led to harm against them. It will also require the platforms to allow a way for survivors to report any content that depicts them.AB 3234 — Requires employers who have voluntarily conducted a social compliance audit to post a clear and obvious link to the report with the findings. It would also need to include if child labor was involved.SB 1063 – Requires schools with students grades 7-12 to print the 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline on student IDs. It also pushes schools to place QR codes on the IDs with information on mental health services and resources. This goes into effect in July. AB 1327 – Requires the California Department of Education to post a form online that people can fill out to report racial discrimination, harassment and hazing incidents that occurred at school sporting events. The department is required to track the incidents. The form is expected to be posted by April. CrimeAB 2111 — Prohibits a person from altering their license plate’s reflective coating to evade electronic capture of the license plate for any reason. AB 977 – Increases penalties for those who assault healthcare workers in emergency rooms. SB 905 — Removes a loophole that requires a vehicle’s doors to be locked in order to prosecute auto burglars. Forcible entry is now enough to prove the crime of auto burglary. SB 690 — Extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting domestic violence upon a spouse or former spouse resulting in trauma to within 7 years of the crime.The bill, known as the Phoenix Act 2.0, extended previous language that had the previous statute of limitations to 5 years.Proposition 36 Voters overwhelmingly passed the November 2024 ballot measure that enhances criminal penalties for repeat thieves and drug offenders, specifically requiring them to be charged with a felony on their third offense. Offenders who don’t fight the charges could complete drug treatment instead of going to prison, but if they don’t finish treatment, they face up to three years in prison.The measure also includes Alexandra’s Law, which requires the courts to give convicted fentanyl dealers the same warning given to those convicted of Driving Under the Influence: Do it again and someone dies, and you may face murder charges. Cracking down on organized retail theft AB 2943 – Allows law enforcement to stack the value of property stolen by criminals from different victims or in different counties in order to reach the felony grand theft threshold of $950. Also allows an officer with probable cause to arrest a person for shoplifting, even if the act did not take place in the officer’s presence. Also creates a new felony punishable by up to three years in jail, for possessing more than $950 of stolen goods with intent to sell, exchange, or return the goods. SB 1242 – Increases penalties for anyone who starts a fire while in the process of committing a retail theft.AB 3209 – Allows courts to issue a “retail theft restraining order” prohibiting a person convicted of organized retail theft, shoplifting, theft, vandalism, or assault of a retail employee from entering the establishment, or other locations of the same establishment, for up to two years. SideshowsThese new laws are aimed at addressing sideshows, also known as street takeovers. These are when roadways or parking lots can be occupied by people driving recklessly and often spectated by dozens, if not hundreds of people.AB 1978 — Allows law enforcement to impound vehicles if they are obstructing or placing a barricade for the purposes of illegal racing.AB 2186 — Clarifies language to include that vehicles involved in sideshows or illegal racing can be subject to the same impoundment laws if they were on a roadway.AB 2807 — Officially writes into California law that a sideshow is also known as a street takeover.AB 3085 — Expands the list of offenses for which law enforcement may impound a vehicle. ReparationsAB 1821 — Requires public curriculum to include instruction on California’s treatment of indigenous peoples during the Spanish colonization of the state and the Gold Rush Era. AB 1986 — Amends California penal code to ramp up oversight on which books are banned in state prisons. That includes requiring the Office of the Inspector General to post the Centralized List of Disapproved Publications on the office’s website.The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which manages the list, would be required to notify the office each time a change is made to that list. The inspector general will be required to notify CDCR if it deems a publication violates CDCR regulations.It will also require the inspector general to send an annual report to the governor and Legislature of every notification it sends to the CDCR regarding regulation violations.AB 3089 — Requires California to recognize and accept responsibility for all hardships African Americans faced that were caused by the state. It also requires the state to formally apologize for perpetuating the harm toward African Americans and protect descendants of enslaved people and all Black Californians.AB 342 — Allows the California Architects Board and the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers to request licensees identify their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity when applying for a new license or renewing one.Licensees will not be required to provide this information as a condition of receiving or renewing a license. They will also not be disciplined for refusing to share that information.While personal information will be kept confidential, the demographic data will be collected and shared online.AB 1815 — Prohibits hair discrimination in sports. This expands the CROWN Act law that bans hair discrimination in schools and workplaces. SB 1089 — Requires grocery stores and pharmacies to provide workers and the community with at least 45 days’ notice if the store is closing.Health careSB 525 — Requires covered health care facilities that are county-owned, affiliated or operated to raise the minimum wage for health care workers by Jan. 1, 2025.SB 729 – Requires large employers who provide at least 100 workers with health insurance benefits to provide coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment (in vitro fertilization also known as IVF). For most beneficiaries, this goes into effect in July. For many government workers, it goes into effect in 2027. ElectionsAB 1784 — Tweaks state law to clarify candidates can withdraw their candidacy ahead of filing deadlines while also preventing candidates from filing for more than one office. This is to prevent the situation Congressman Vince Fong found himself in after former House Speaker and Bakersfield Representative Kevin McCarthy abruptly announced he would not seek reelection. AB 2355 — Requires campaigns to say if artificial intelligence was used to generate or substantially alter ads.AB 2041 — Allows candidates or elected officers to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the “reasonable costs” of an electronic security system at home or at the office. This also allows the monies to be spent on personal security for a candidate, elected officer, or the immediate family or staff. AB 2655 — Requires large online platforms to remove or label deceptive or digitally altered content related to elections and requires them to provide a system to report the content. SB 1174 — Prohibits local governments from requiring voters to show ID at polling places.EnvironmentSB 1206 (2022) — Prevents the sale of bulk virgin hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases while allowing the sale of reclaimed HFCs. Requires the state to post an online assessment on how to transition the state’s economy away from HFCs to other alternatives with a lower global warming impact by 2035.Miscellaneous SB 960 — Requires Caltrans to incorporate complete street elements, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, and transit facilities, into its planning and projects.AB 363 — Bans the sale of over-the-counter sales of lawn and garden neonicotinoid pesticides, limiting their use to trained professionals.It will also direct the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to complete a review of non-agricultural neonic uses.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines neonicotinoid pesticides as a class of chemicals that as insecticides “by exerting neurotoxic effects via irreversible binding to insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.” There is concern that those pesticides could impact mammals including humans because those receptors are also present in nervous systems.AB 413 — Prohibits vehicles from being stopped, left or parked within 20 feet of a marked crosswalk or intersection. This safety measure is commonly referred to as “daylighting.”AB 2771 — Prevents the sales, delivery, holding or offering for sale any cosmetic product that contains perfluoroalkyl (PFAS), a group of chemicals made to make life easier. PFAS becomes dangerous over time because it never breaks down or goes away.AB 1780 — Prohibits private universities and colleges from making admissions decisions based on an applicant’s relationship to a donor or alumni. This takes effect in September. AB 1825 — Tries to prevent book bans in public libraries by requiring them to set policies for book selections.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Hundreds of new California laws are set to go into effect in 2025, with many of them starting Jan. 1.
These include laws on Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, artificial intelligence regulation, child sex trafficking charges and retail theft.
Below is a list of new California laws to know. Assembly bills will be abbreviated to AB, and Senate bills will be abbreviated to SB.
These California laws go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, unless otherwise noted. Some laws will go into effect in the spring, summer and fall.
Business
AB 3206 — Extends the sale of alcohol until 4 a.m., but only in the 100-person VIP club of the LA Clippers’ new arena in Inglewood. This ultimately requires approval from local leaders.
SB 1144 – Requires online marketplaces including eBay and Facebook Marketplace to start collecting information on high-volume, third-party sellers. This information can be shared with law enforcement to crack down on organized retail theft. This goes into effect in July.
AB 1755 — Shortens the length of time used car owners have to file a lemon law lawsuit. Beginning April 1, it also requires them to notify the manufacturer in writing about car problems before filing a lawsuit for warranty violations.
AB 1775 — Legalizes cannabis cafes. Cities and counties could also allow businesses to expand themselves to sell non-cannabis and non-alcoholic products. Retailers will also be allowed to hold live performances.
In Sacramento, city leaders approved a pilot program that will allow social consumption of cannabis in designated areas of dispensaries.
AB 2863 — Simplifies the “click to cancel” option for subscriptions to services. Requires businesses to receive consent from consumers for automatic renewal or continuous services. This will apply to contracts entered into, amended or extended after July 1, 2025.
SB 1100 — Prohibits employers from requiring driver’s licenses to be part of the application process unless the position requires driving. If the job cannot be efficiently completed using alternative transportation, that is another exception to the law.
SB 969 — Allows cities, counties, or city and county ordinances, to create “entertainment zones” that allow vendors to sell alcohol for consumption in those designated areas. That includes public streets, sidewalks or public rights-of-way.
Previously, only the city and county of San Francisco allowed for consumption in certain zones.
AB 1966 – Requires primary ticket sellers to include a notice with the ticket purchase confirmation electronically to the buyer that contains information relating to commercial sex and labor trafficking, including information regarding specified nonprofit organizations that a person can call or text for services or support in the elimination of slavery and human trafficking.
Artificial intelligence and tech
AB 1836 — Prohibits the use of a deceased individual’s likeness using artificial intelligence.
AB 1979 — Allows victims of doxxing to sue and seek damages from those responsible in court.
AB 2602 —Requires informed consent by performers in film, music and other entertainment sectors if studios wish to use their likeness through digital replicas created through artificial intelligence.
AB 2655 — Requires major online platforms to take down deepfake content within 72 hours of a user flagging it. Elon Musk has sued over this law, and it is on hold pending the court’s decision.
AB 2839 — Allows courts to order those who publish or create deceptive election content made with artificial intelligence to remove it.
AB 3216 — Requires school districts to come up with plans to limit or restrict student smartphone use by 2026.
Child protections
SB 1043 — Increases transparency at teen treatment facilities. It requires short-term residential therapeutic programs to publicly post online all instances involving the use of restraints or seclusion rooms. SB 1043 also increases access to those reports through an online dashboard.
Paris Hilton led the charge pushing for the bill’s signing alongside the bill’s author, State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield.
SB 1414 — Makes it a felony to purchase or solicit a child 15 years and younger for sex. It was previously a misdemeanor before the bill was signed into law. Prosecutors will have discretion when determining how to charge someone who purchases a 16- or 17-year-old for sex. California lawmakers in discussing the bill directly mentioned our documentary and the impact the consumers of the child sex trafficking industry coupled with some state laws that have allowed it to explode in some parts of the state. Watch “Escaping the Blade” here.
AB 1955 — Prohibits school districts from creating policies that require teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender or requests to be identified by a different name or pronoun at school.
AB 1394 — Allows child sex exploitation survivors to sue social media platforms for any app features that led to harm against them. It will also require the platforms to allow a way for survivors to report any content that depicts them.
AB 3234 — Requires employers who have voluntarily conducted a social compliance audit to post a clear and obvious link to the report with the findings. It would also need to include if child labor was involved.
SB 1063 – Requires schools with students grades 7-12 to print the 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline on student IDs. It also pushes schools to place QR codes on the IDs with information on mental health services and resources. This goes into effect in July.
AB 1327 – Requires the California Department of Education to post a form online that people can fill out to report racial discrimination, harassment and hazing incidents that occurred at school sporting events. The department is required to track the incidents. The form is expected to be posted by April.
Crime
AB 2111 — Prohibits a person from altering their license plate’s reflective coating to evade electronic capture of the license plate for any reason.
AB 977 – Increases penalties for those who assault healthcare workers in emergency rooms.
SB 905 — Removes a loophole that requires a vehicle’s doors to be locked in order to prosecute auto burglars. Forcible entry is now enough to prove the crime of auto burglary.
SB 690 — Extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting domestic violence upon a spouse or former spouse resulting in trauma to within 7 years of the crime.
The bill, known as the Phoenix Act 2.0, extended previous language that had the previous statute of limitations to 5 years.
Proposition 36
Voters overwhelmingly passed the November 2024 ballot measure that enhances criminal penalties for repeat thieves and drug offenders, specifically requiring them to be charged with a felony on their third offense. Offenders who don’t fight the charges could complete drug treatment instead of going to prison, but if they don’t finish treatment, they face up to three years in prison.
The measure also includes Alexandra’s Law, which requires the courts to give convicted fentanyl dealers the same warning given to those convicted of Driving Under the Influence: Do it again and someone dies, and you may face murder charges.
Cracking down on organized retail theft
AB 2943 – Allows law enforcement to stack the value of property stolen by criminals from different victims or in different counties in order to reach the felony grand theft threshold of $950. Also allows an officer with probable cause to arrest a person for shoplifting, even if the act did not take place in the officer’s presence. Also creates a new felony punishable by up to three years in jail, for possessing more than $950 of stolen goods with intent to sell, exchange, or return the goods.
SB 1242 – Increases penalties for anyone who starts a fire while in the process of committing a retail theft.
AB 3209 – Allows courts to issue a “retail theft restraining order” prohibiting a person convicted of organized retail theft, shoplifting, theft, vandalism, or assault of a retail employee from entering the establishment, or other locations of the same establishment, for up to two years.
Sideshows
These new laws are aimed at addressing sideshows, also known as street takeovers. These are when roadways or parking lots can be occupied by people driving recklessly and often spectated by dozens, if not hundreds of people.
AB 1978 — Allows law enforcement to impound vehicles if they are obstructing or placing a barricade for the purposes of illegal racing.
AB 2186 — Clarifies language to include that vehicles involved in sideshows or illegal racing can be subject to the same impoundment laws if they were on a roadway.
AB 2807 — Officially writes into California law that a sideshow is also known as a street takeover.
AB 3085 — Expands the list of offenses for which law enforcement may impound a vehicle.
Reparations
AB 1821 — Requires public curriculum to include instruction on California’s treatment of indigenous peoples during the Spanish colonization of the state and the Gold Rush Era.
AB 1986 — Amends California penal code to ramp up oversight on which books are banned in state prisons. That includes requiring the Office of the Inspector General to post the Centralized List of Disapproved Publications on the office’s website.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which manages the list, would be required to notify the office each time a change is made to that list. The inspector general will be required to notify CDCR if it deems a publication violates CDCR regulations.
It will also require the inspector general to send an annual report to the governor and Legislature of every notification it sends to the CDCR regarding regulation violations.
AB 3089 — Requires California to recognize and accept responsibility for all hardships African Americans faced that were caused by the state. It also requires the state to formally apologize for perpetuating the harm toward African Americans and protect descendants of enslaved people and all Black Californians.
AB 342 — Allows the California Architects Board and the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers to request licensees identify their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity when applying for a new license or renewing one.
Licensees will not be required to provide this information as a condition of receiving or renewing a license. They will also not be disciplined for refusing to share that information.
While personal information will be kept confidential, the demographic data will be collected and shared online.
AB 1815 — Prohibits hair discrimination in sports. This expands the CROWN Act law that bans hair discrimination in schools and workplaces.
SB 1089 — Requires grocery stores and pharmacies to provide workers and the community with at least 45 days’ notice if the store is closing.
Health care
SB 525 — Requires covered health care facilities that are county-owned, affiliated or operated to raise the minimum wage for health care workers by Jan. 1, 2025.
SB 729 – Requires large employers who provide at least 100 workers with health insurance benefits to provide coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment (in vitro fertilization also known as IVF). For most beneficiaries, this goes into effect in July. For many government workers, it goes into effect in 2027.
Elections
AB 1784 — Tweaks state law to clarify candidates can withdraw their candidacy ahead of filing deadlines while also preventing candidates from filing for more than one office. This is to prevent the situation Congressman Vince Fong found himself in after former House Speaker and Bakersfield Representative Kevin McCarthy abruptly announced he would not seek reelection.
AB 2355 — Requires campaigns to say if artificial intelligence was used to generate or substantially alter ads.
AB 2041 — Allows candidates or elected officers to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the “reasonable costs” of an electronic security system at home or at the office. This also allows the monies to be spent on personal security for a candidate, elected officer, or the immediate family or staff.
AB 2655 — Requires large online platforms to remove or label deceptive or digitally altered content related to elections and requires them to provide a system to report the content.
SB 1174 — Prohibits local governments from requiring voters to show ID at polling places.
Environment
SB 1206 (2022) — Prevents the sale of bulk virgin hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases while allowing the sale of reclaimed HFCs. Requires the state to post an online assessment on how to transition the state’s economy away from HFCs to other alternatives with a lower global warming impact by 2035.
Miscellaneous
SB 960 — Requires Caltrans to incorporate complete street elements, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, and transit facilities, into its planning and projects.
AB 363 — Bans the sale of over-the-counter sales of lawn and garden neonicotinoid pesticides, limiting their use to trained professionals.
It will also direct the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to complete a review of non-agricultural neonic uses.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines neonicotinoid pesticides as a class of chemicals that as insecticides “by exerting neurotoxic effects via irreversible binding to insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.” There is concern that those pesticides could impact mammals including humans because those receptors are also present in nervous systems.
AB 413 — Prohibits vehicles from being stopped, left or parked within 20 feet of a marked crosswalk or intersection. This safety measure is commonly referred to as “daylighting.”
AB 2771 — Prevents the sales, delivery, holding or offering for sale any cosmetic product that contains perfluoroalkyl (PFAS), a group of chemicals made to make life easier. PFAS becomes dangerous over time because it never breaks down or goes away.
AB 1780 — Prohibits private universities and colleges from making admissions decisions based on an applicant’s relationship to a donor or alumni. This takes effect in September.
AB 1825 — Tries to prevent book bans in public libraries by requiring them to set policies for book selections.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
1. Universal Healthcare: California will become the first state in the nation to implement a universal healthcare system, providing all residents with access to quality, affordable healthcare. This landmark legislation aims to ensure that no one is left without coverage, regardless of income or preexisting conditions.
2. Plastic Ban: In an effort to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment, California will ban the sale and distribution of single-use plastics, such as straws, utensils, and takeout containers. Businesses will be required to provide compostable or reusable alternatives instead.
3. Housing Crisis Relief: To address the state’s ongoing housing crisis, new laws will be implemented to streamline the construction of affordable housing units and increase tenant protections. Rent control measures will also be expanded to provide relief for residents struggling with skyrocketing housing costs.
4. Criminal Justice Reform: California will implement new laws aimed at reducing mass incarceration and promoting rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders. This includes expanding access to mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, as well as increasing funding for reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals.
5. Climate Action: In an effort to combat climate change, California will set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources. New regulations will be put in place to promote electric vehicles, energy-efficient buildings, and sustainable agriculture practices.
These are just a few of the new laws set to take effect in California in 2025. As the state continues to tackle pressing issues such as healthcare, housing, criminal justice, and climate change, these legislative changes aim to improve the lives of all Californians and create a more sustainable future for generations to come.
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