How New California Laws Could Affect You in 2025

Hundreds of new California laws went into effect on 1/1/25, these include laws on Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, artificial intelligence regulation, child sex trafficking charges, and retail theft. We’ve summarized 40 of the more relevant mandates for you - Assembly Bills have been abbreviated to AB and Senate Bills to SB.

AI in Hollywood

• AB 2602: Prohibits unauthorized use of AI to replicate actors’ voices or likenesses.

• AB 1836: Protects deceased actors’ voices or likenesses, requiring estate consent.

Cannabis

• AB 1775: Allows cannabis retailers to sell freshly prepared food and beverages with local government approval.

Housing

• SB 450: Simplifies property division into multiple units.

• SB 1395: Streamlines tiny home construction for homeless residents.

• AB 2347: Extends tenant eviction response time from 5 to 10 days.

Cars

• AB 413: Prohibits parking within 20 feet of crosswalks starting January 1.

• SB 905: Eliminates the “locked door loophole” in car burglary prosecutions.

Consumer Protection

• AB 2863: Requires companies to provide easy cancellation for auto-renewing subscriptions.

• AB 375: Mandates food delivery services display drivers’ names and photos starting March 1.

• AB 1830: Requires that those who make corn masa flour - a key ingredient in tortillas, tamales, and pupusas - include folic acid in their formulation starting in 2026. Folic acid helps to defend against preterm birth defects.

Crime

• AB 3209: Allows retail stores to obtain restraining orders against individuals convicted of theft or vandalism.

• AB 1779: Permits consolidated charges for suspects involved in retail theft across multiple counties.

• AB 1960: Adds penalties for property damage over $50,000 during retail theft.

• SB 1242: Designates setting fires during organized retail theft as an aggravating factor.

• SB 1414: Elevates soliciting or paying for sex with minors under 16 to a felony.

Education and Civil Rights

• AB 1821: Mandates education on the Mission Period’s impact on Native Americans.

• AB 1780: Bans legacy admissions in state-funded colleges.

• AB 1825: Prevents libraries from banning books based on race, gender identity, or other protected factors.

• AB 2867: Helps recover property stolen during the Holocaust or other acts of political persecution.

Employment

• SB 988: Enhances payment protections for independent contractors.

• SB 1105: Allows agricultural workers to use sick days for hazardous conditions like extreme heat.

• AB 2499: Enables employees to take paid leave for victim-related issues without using vacation time first.

Firearms

• AB 2917: Allows courts to consider threats toward groups or locations when issuing restraining orders for firearms.

• AB 574: Requires firearm purchase records to confirm ownership verification within the last 30 days.

• AB 1483: Removes exemptions for private transactions in the one-firearm-per-30-days rule.

• AB 1598: Mandates firearm safety pamphlets for purchasers.

Health

• SB 729: Expands insurance coverage for fertility services, including LGBTQ+ families.

• AB 2515: Prohibits menstrual products with harmful chemicals.

• AB 1902: Requires pharmacies to offer accessible prescription labels for individuals with disabilities.

• AB 2475: Extends hospital stays for prisoners needing mental health treatment from 5 days to 30 days.

• SB 1061: Bans medical debt from appearing on credit reports.

Money

• AB 764: Mandates that parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children to set aside a portion of the earnings for those children.

• AB 1880: Expands the Coogan Law to cover child content creators.

• AB 2017: Prohibits banks from charging fees for insufficient fund withdrawal attempts.

• Minimum Wage: Increases to $16.50 per hour.