Starting on July 1, new laws will go into effect in California, impacting residents in various ways, including higher minimum wages and how food and beverage goods are labeled for consumers. Local jurisdictions, such as Los Angeles County, will update their minimum wage ordinance, with their hourly pay rates exceeding that of the state’s requirement.
Minimum Wage Increases
Currently, California’s minimum wage is $16.90 per hour for most economic sectors. Hotel and hospitality workers, as well as those in the health care industry in some cities, will see their hourly pay rates go up, starting on July 1.
Food Labeling and Allergen Disclosures
A new law, AB 660, seeks to standardize how goods are labeled with more specific phrasing of when the products are expected to expire. The new law will also promote grocery donations while reducing food waste. Additionally, California becomes the first state in the nation to mandate large restaurant chains to disclose the most common food allergens to customers and diners, under AB 68.
Cellphone Ban and All-Gender Bathrooms
Every school in the state should have a policy in place to limit or prohibit the use of smartphones by students on school campuses, under AB 3216, also known as the Phone-Free Schools Act. Furthermore, all public and charter schools must establish at least one non-gendered restroom for students, under SB 760.
Crisis Hotline and Streaming Ads
All middle, high schools, as well as colleges and universities, must note the Trevor Project’s 24/7 crisis and suicide prevention hotline on their student ID cards. A new law, SB 576, mandates streaming platforms to regulate the audio volume of commercials and prohibit them from streaming ads at a volume louder than the actual show, movie, or video content.
Driverless Cars and Housing
As more automotive vehicles and robotaxis operate in the state, AB 1777 allows law enforcement to ticket fleets that do not comply with traffic laws. A major zoning law will begin to override local regulations to allow multi-family residential developments near public transit hubs.
Fertility Treatment
Large-scale employers, with 100 workers or more, must expand health insurance to cover the infertility diagnosis and treatments, including IVF, under SB 729.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
