Tuesday marks the first day of July — and when some new California laws take effect.
One law that won’t be going into effect as planned, though: state-mandated insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization. Legislators pushed the start date for that law — which requires state-regulated health insurance plans to cover IVF and other infertility treatments — six months, to Jan. 1, 2026.
But other changes — from workplace protections for household domestic workers to how short-term rentals must warn guests about potential cleaning charges — are poised to take root on Tuesday. Read on for a look at five of them.
CARE Court changes
An update to the new court program meant to help people with severe mental health conditions is coming on Tuesday.
Courts will now have to keep the original petitioner updated on proceedings, including if a case is dismissed or postponed. (An exception is carved out in the law in the event that a court determines this could be detrimental to the treatment or well-being of the person in the program.)
The governor signed the landmark mental health care law in 2022, effectively establishing a pathway for family members, first responders, social workers and other authorized adults to petition a court to enroll a person with a severe mental illness into a CARE program. That program is meant to help people find treatments for severe mental health or substance abuse disorders, housing and other supportive services.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed this CARE Act update, spearheaded by Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, into law in September.
Lids for alcoholic drinks
Establishments with a “Type 48” license to serve beer, wine or distilled spirits must now provide a lid with a customer’s drink upon request. The establishment may charge a “reasonable” fee for the lid.
The purpose of the law, which will be effect at least until Jan. 1, 2027, is to reduce the chance of someone spiking another person’s drink, with the hope that this in turn will prevent sexual assaults and rapes.
Sign up for Down Ballot, our Southern California politics email newsletter. Subscribe here.Last year, as AB 2375 was making its way through the legislative process, Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, called his bill “a commonsense measure to deter perpetrators from attempting to commit these crimes,” and reported that the bill had strong bipartisan support.
Protections for household domestic workers
California’s occupational safety protections law is expanded to include household domestic service workers, including those who work on a permanent or temporary basis or during an emergency.
A fact sheet for the bill said domestic workers are “amongst one of the most vulnerable and unprotected categories of workers” and many experience indecent working conditions and are considered to be part of a disadvantaged group, such as immigrants who experience language barriers.
“Domestic workers are often put at severe risk of injury and illness, especially when public health emergencies and climate disasters strike,” said Sen. María Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles. “These workers provide front-line care to California’s most vulnerable, like seniors and people with compromised immune systems, yet they often remain without any health and safety protection.”
The law does exempt domestic workers whose services are publicly funded, employees in family daycare homes and those who are privately employed in a home to provide services like cooking, caregiving and housecleaning.
These changes bring California’s law in line with that set at the federal level, the bill noted.
Short-term rental fees
Short-term rental property owners and platforms, such as Airbnb and VRBO hosts, must disclose upfront what cleaning tasks guests must complete when they leave to avoid paying a fee or penalty.
The new law is laid out in AB 2202, championed by former Assemblymember Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood.
“Transparency helps California’s consumers make informed choices when it comes to short-term vacation rentals,” Rendon said last year. “By requiring that short-term vacation rentals disclose requested cleaning duties in advance, we can ensure customers have the information they need to make a truly informed choice about their short-term vacation rentals.”
Subscription cancelations
It will be easier now for consumers to cancel their unwanted subscription or service, due to AB 2863, which requires businesses to provide one or more ways for a cancellation before it automatically renews.
In addition, a customer must be able to cancel using the same method they used to enroll in the first place — or the same medium the customer is accustomed to using to interact with the business, including in person or by telephone, mail or email. So if a person enrolled online, the company must provide an online click-to-cancel option to make it easy for consumers to easily unsubscribe.
“At a time when too many in our community are struggling, unwanted subscription renewals can really add up. AB 2863 is the most comprehensive ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation in the nation, ensuring Californians can cancel unwanted automatic subscription renewals just as easily as they signed up — with just a click or two,” Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, who authored the bill, said last year after it was signed into law.
“California is setting a model for the nation on protecting consumers from unnecessary charges — giving them more control over their finances and helping to ensure fair business practices, providing a win for both consumers and small businesses.”
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