New California Laws Effective 2026
Housing and Tenants
Law: Landlords must provide working stoves and refrigerators in rental units
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 628 (AB 628)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Tenants protected from eviction when rent nonpayment is caused by delayed Social Security benefits
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 246 (AB 246)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Updated mobile-home tenancy notice requirements, including optional electronic notices
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 391 (AB 391)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Expanded rules governing the timely return of tenant security deposits
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 414 (AB 414)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Labor and Worker Rights
Law: State minimum wage increase and updated salary thresholds for exempt employees
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 3 (SB 3)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Rideshare drivers permitted to unionize and engage in collective bargaining
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 1340 (AB 1340)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Expanded enforcement authority to combat employer tip theft
Legislative Act: Labor Code amendments (multiple bills)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Consumer Protection
Law: Statewide ban on single-use plastic grocery bags
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 1053 (SB 1053) and Assembly Bill 2236 (AB 2236)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Food-delivery platforms must issue refunds for incorrect or missing orders and disclose fees
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 578 (AB 578)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Streaming service advertisements may not be louder than program content
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 576 (SB 576)
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Law: Increased disclosure and refund rights for used-car purchases
Legislative Act: Various consumer protection statutes
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Limits placed on overdraft and nonsufficient-funds bank fees
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 2017 (AB 2017)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Technology and Privacy
Law: Data brokers must delete personal data upon consumer request through a state-run system known as the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (California Delete Act)
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 362 (SB 362)
Effective Date: August 1, 2026 (consumer deletion requests)
Law: Transparency and safety disclosure requirements for large artificial intelligence systems
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 53 (SB 53)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Simplified cancellation and deletion of social media accounts
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 656 (AB 656)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Health and Insurance
Law: Insulin copayments capped at thirty-five dollars for a thirty-day supply
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 40 (SB 40)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Expanded health insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization and fertility treatment
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 729 (SB 729)
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Transportation and Public Safety
Law: Possession of electronic or high-tech burglary tools with intent becomes a misdemeanor
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 486 (AB 486)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: New lighting and reflector safety requirements for electric bicycles
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 544 (AB 544)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Local governments permitted to lower speed limits in school zones
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 382 (AB 382)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Automated speed enforcement pilot program in highway work zones
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 289 (AB 289)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Autonomous vehicle communication requirements with first responders
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 1777 (AB 1777)
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Education and Youth
Law: Student identification cards must display a twenty-four-hour crisis hotline for LGBTQ youth
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 727 (AB 727)
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Law: Expansion of automatic admission eligibility to California State University campuses
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 1749 (AB 1749)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: All-gender restrooms required in kindergarten through grade twelve schools
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 760 (SB 760)
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Animals
Law: Prohibition on non-medical declawing of cats
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 867 (AB 867)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law: Ban on retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits from breeders and brokers
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 506 (AB 506) and Senate Bill 312 (SB 312)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Food and Nutrition
Law: Corn tortillas and masa flour products must be fortified with folic acid
Legislative Act: Assembly Bill 1053 (AB 1053)
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Law Enforcement
Law: Limits on law enforcement use of face coverings during operations
Legislative Act: Senate Bill 627 (SB 627), known as the No Secret Police Act
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
This summary is for educational purposes only. Please go to law enactment bill for further explanations.
