New Laws in California 2025
Housing
• AB 2347 extends the amount of time someone has to respond to an eviction notice from five to 10 days.
Crime
• SB 1414 raises the penalty for soliciting sex from a minor under 16 to a felony from a misdemeanor.
• AB 3209 expands existing laws that bar people found guilty of certain crimes to contact the victim, allowing courts to ban convicted individuals from entering specific locations.
• AB 413 changes parking laws, prohibiting vehicles from stopping, standing, or parking within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
Education
• AB 1955 prohibits teachers and school administrators from informing anyone, including parents, of a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity without the student’s permission.
• AB 1821 requires school districts to teach about the Spanish colonization of California and the Gold Rush Era and how it affected Native Americans.
• AB 1780 bans universities from considering legacy or donor status when admitting applicants.
• AB 1825 prevents public libraries from removing books, as part of the California Freedom to Read Act.
Workplace
• SB 1100 prevents employers from listing a driver’s license as a job qualification unless they can prove it’s necessary for the job or commuting.
• AB 2123 allows workers to begin receiving paid family leave without having already used two weeks of vacation time.
• AB 2499 permits workers to use paid sick leave if they are victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, even if no arrest, prosecution, or conviction has occurred.
• SB 399 prevents employers from requiring workers to attend meetings discussing their views on religion, politics, or union organizing.
• SB 611 bans landlords from charging fees for rent payments made by check.
Miscellaneous
• AB 3162 bans octopus farming in California.
• AB 1815 adds discrimination protections for hairstyles.
• SB 1061 makes medical debt unable to be listed on a credit card report.
• AB 2017 prohibits banks and credit unions from charging fees for overdrafts.
• AB 374 legalizes cannabis lounges where customers can consume and stay for a meal or entertainment.
• AB 375 requires food delivery services to provide the name and photograph of the person delivering the order, effective March 1, 2025.
• AB 2863 permits customers to terminate automatic subscription renewals in the same way they originally subscribed, effective July 1, 2025.
Conclusion:
California is implementing new laws in 2025, covering various areas, including housing, crime, education, workplace, and miscellaneous topics. These changes aim to improve the state’s laws and policies to better serve its residents.
