One regulation requires firms that provide subscriptions, akin to streaming providers or memberships, to make cancellation as straightforward as signing up.
A wave of recent California legal guidelines will take impact on July 1, touching practically each nook of life, from subscriptions and short-term leases to wages and scholar psychological well being.
A part of a broader package deal signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom throughout his newest legislative session, the measures are geared toward boosting transparency, increasing well being protection, elevating wages, and enhancing entry to authorized and psychological well being help.
Listed here are a few of the new legal guidelines.
Brief-Time period Rental Chores
AB 2202 requires short-term rental hosts, platforms, and anybody else itemizing the property to reveal all further fees or penalties—akin to cleansing charges—that may apply if visitors fail to finish end-of-stay chores.
Rental hosts should element these duties earlier than a reserving is made. Based on the laws, platforms akin to Airbnb are additionally accountable for guaranteeing that disclosures are made.
Violators face fines of as much as $10,000 per offense.
The laws builds on a 2023 regulation requiring all obligatory prices—together with service and cleansing charges—to be listed upfront in rental and lodge listings.
Subscription Cancellations
AB 2863 mandates that firms providing subscriptions—akin to streaming providers or memberships—make it as straightforward to cancel as it’s to enroll.
Firms should additionally ship annual reminders with pricing and cancellation particulars, together with a direct “click-to-cancel” hyperlink. Renewals after free trials or preliminary contract durations now require buyer approval.
The regulation applies to contracts entered into, amended, or prolonged on or after July 1.
Stolen Items Gross sales
SB 1144 targets retail theft by requiring on-line marketplaces akin to eBay and Fb Market to confirm the id of high-volume sellers, outlined as those that full 200 or extra transactions involving at the very least $5,000 in new or unused items yearly.
The regulation additionally requires the net platform to inform regulation enforcement businesses when it identifies doubtlessly stolen merchandise sellers.
Drink Lids in Bars
AB 2375 requires bars and nightclubs with Sort 48 licenses to supply drink lids upon request and submit signage informing patrons of their availability.
The measure, meant to fight drink spiking, follows a 2023 regulation requiring such institutions to supply drug-testing kits, together with check strips or straws that detect substances akin to Rohypnol and ketamine.
This regulation applies to greater than 2,500 bars and nightclubs throughout the state, the place minors aren’t allowed, and whether or not or not the enterprise serves meals.
Minimal Wage Will increase
A number of cities and counties will elevate their minimal wage on July 1. The brand new minimal wages are as follows:
The statewide minimal stays $16.50. Some industries—such because the lodge and quick meals sectors—have greater native minimums.
Home Staff
SB 1350 extends Cal/OSHA well being and security protections to home employees—akin to home cleaners, caregivers, and cooks—no matter whether or not they’re employed quickly or completely.
Scholar ID Playing cards
SB 1063 requires center and highschool ID playing cards to show the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline quantity. Colleges are additionally inspired so as to add QR codes linking to native psychological well being sources.
Particular Training Planning
AB 438 strikes up the beginning of postsecondary planning for college students with particular must the start of highschool, quite than age 16, when deemed acceptable by their Individualized Training Program group.
CARE Court docket Updates
SB 42 requires that members of the family or caretakers be notified and stored knowledgeable about proceedings beneath the CARE Act, which permits them to petition for court-mandated remedy plans for people with sure psychological well being situations.
Fertility Protection
SB 729 requires most employers that provide medical insurance to incorporate protection for infertility prognosis and remedy, together with in vitro fertilization.
Spiritual employers are exempt from the regulation, and the California Public Workers’ Retirement System (CalPERS)—the company that manages pension and well being advantages for state employees—won’t be required to supply this protection till July 1, 2027.
At Newsom’s request, implementation was delayed till January 2026 to permit time to replace California’s benchmark plan and make clear insurer obligations.
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