REGION — Hundreds of bills signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom are set to take effect in California in 2025.
The new laws, most of which took effect Wednesday, include cracking down on retail theft, barring parking near crosswalks, a ban on book bans and new designations for official state animals.
Here is a sampling (laws took effect Jan. 1 unless otherwise noted):
Parking Enforcement
AB 413, the “daylighting” law: For increased visibility of pedestrians and other objects in the road, drivers are not allowed to park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked. Violators face a $40 fine for parking on unmarked curbs near crosswalks or $108 for parking on curbs that are painted red.
Traffic
AB 1978: As of Jan. 1, if a person is arrested for conspiring to orchestrate a street race or sideshow by erecting a barricade, his or her vehicle can be impounded. Sideshows entail street stunts in which parties perform “doughnuts,” or high-speed circles, burn-outs and other risky maneuvers, according to the California Highway Patrol.
AB 2186: Anyone caught directly taking part in an unlawful race within a parking facility can be arrested and have their vehicle impounded for 30 days.
AB 3085: Law enforcement agencies can seize vehicles confirmed to have been used in speed contests and sideshows — or operated by spectators — through a warrant.
AB 2645: Starting next year, transportation agencies operating electronic toll collection systems may post “real-time license plate data” on vehicles identified by the CHP during Amber and other emergency alerts anywhere in the state.
AB 2111: Makes it a criminal offense to alter a license plate’s reflective coating “to avoid detection from any entity, not just law enforcement,” according to the CHP. The agency said that SB 905 creates a new statutory offense, starting in 2025, known as “Automotive Property Theft for Resale.”
The law creates penalties for “possessing stolen property obtained from a vehicle with the intent to sell or exchange the property for value.” The value, however, must be in excess of $950.
E-bike safety
AB 1271: The law “requires these devices and their components, such as batteries and charging systems, to be tested by accredited laboratories to meet specific safety standards,” the CHP said. “The bill also mandates labeling these products to show compliance with safety regulations, ensuring consumers are informed. Furthermore, it prohibits distributing, selling or leasing e-bikes and related equipment unless they meet these standards, aiming to reduce risks like fire hazards.”
The law provides a one-year grace period for uniform development of battery testing, so it doesn’t fully take effect until Jan. 1, 2026.
AB 1774: Makes it unlawful to modify an e-bike’s speed to the extent it no longer operates like a typical e- bike. Devices that enable someone to significantly increase the speed of the two-wheelers are also prohibited from being sold in the state under the new law.
Hybrid and e-vehicles
Owners of plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles who have “clean air vehicle” stickers and have become accustomed to using HOV lanes — even when they’re alone — no longer need to worry about giving up the allowance on Sept. 30, the original sunset date under state and federal regulations. AB 2678 extended the HOV access dispensation to Jan. 1, 2027.
SB 1313: Makes it an infraction to install a device “designed for neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering with a driver monitoring system that is engaged when drivers are utilizing advanced driver assistance system features or autonomous technology.” The systems, most prominent in Teslas, are intended to detect deficiencies in driver alertness and compensate.
Retail Theft
AB 2943: It will be a felony to possess over $950 of items obtained through retail theft with the intention to resell, while SB 905 makes breaking into vehicles to steal property valued at $950 or more a felony.
Child Protection
SB 1414: Purchasing or soliciting a child 15 years or younger for sex, previously a misdemeanor, will now be a felony.
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 app features that lead to harm against them.
Book Bans
AB 1078, the California Freedom To Read Act: Requires public libraries to maintain a publicly accessible collection development policy guiding the selection of materials while establishing a process for community members to share their concerns. It prohibits banning books because of the race, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status or political affiliation of a book’s subject, author or intended audience. It would also allow the public to request that materials offering “diverse perspectives,” including LGBTQ perspectives, to be reconsidered for inclusion in the library’s collection.
Drug Laws
AB 1775: Legalizes cannabis cafes while affording cities and counties the ability to allow businesses to expand themselves to sell non-cannabis and non-alcoholic products. Retailers will also be allowed to hold live performances.
Housing
AB 2347: Extends the amount of time someone has to respond to an eviction notice from five to 10 days.
College Admissions
AB 1780: Beginning in September, private universities and colleges will be barred from making admissions decisions based on an applicant’s relationship to a donor or alumnus.
Consumer Protection
AB 2863: It will be illegal for companies to automatically renew a subscription without alerting the customer “in a clear and conspicuous manner” of the terms. A company will now need to get a person’s “express affirmative consent to the automatic renewal.”
Fertility Treatments
SB 729: Starting in July, employers who provide at least 100 workers with health insurance benefits will be required to provide coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment.
State Wildlife
AB 1797: Makes the Dungeness crab the official California crustacean.
AB 1850: Makes the banana slug the state’s official slug.
AB 2504: Makes the Black abalone the state’s official seashell.
