Several new California laws are set to take effect on July 1, bringing changes that could impact workers, students, shoppers and even people watching television at home.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most notable laws going into effect.

Higher Minimum Wages

California’s statewide minimum wage remains $16.90 per hour, but several local governments are increasing pay rates beyond the state requirement beginning July 1.

General workers:

• Los Angeles County: $18.47 per hour
• City of Los Angeles: $18.42 per hour
• Pasadena: $18.57 per hour
• Santa Monica: $18.47 per hour
• Malibu: $17.91 per hour
• Hotel and hospitality workers
• Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Glendale: $25.00 per hour
• Long Beach: $26.50 per hour
• West Hollywood: $20.87 per hour
• Health care workers
• Large hospitals and facilities with more than 10,000 employees: $25.00 per hour
• General health care facilities: $23.00 per hour
• Clinics, including urgent care centers: $22.00 per hour
• Independent rural hospitals: $19.28 per hour

The City of Santa Clarita aligns its minimum wage with state guidelines, so incorporated areas of Valencia, Saugus, Newhall and Canyon Country will be unaffected. However, unincorporated regions such as Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Val Verde, Acton and Agua Dulce are set to increase along with the County. 

Food expiration labels

Assembly Bill 660 changes how food products are labeled to help consumers better understand freshness dates and reduce food waste.

Consumers will begin seeing labels such as:

“Best if Used By” or “Best if Frozen By” – Indicates when a product is expected to have its best taste, texture or freshness.

“Use By” or “Freeze By” – Indicates a recommended deadline for consuming higher-risk foods.

Traditional sell-by dates will largely be eliminated.

Some products are exempt, including:

• Infant formula
• Eggs
• Beer

Grocery stores may also use a “packed on” label for deli and prepared foods.

Restaurant allergen disclosures

Assembly Bill 68 requires restaurant chains with 20 or more locations nationwide to disclose the nine most common food allergens:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Wheat
• Soybeans
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Sesame

The law does not apply to small businesses or mom-and-pop restaurants.

New Rules For Schools

Cellphone restrictions:

Under Assembly Bill 3216, known as the Phone-Free Schools Act, every California school district is expected to have a policy limiting or prohibiting student cellphone use on campus.

All-gender restrooms:

Senate Bill 760 requires all public and charter schools to have at least one all-gender restroom available to students, with signage indicating it is open to students of all gender identities.

Trevor Project hotline on student IDs:

Assembly Bill 727 requires middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities to print the Trevor Project’s 24-hour crisis and suicide prevention hotline (1-866-488-7386) on student identification cards.

Schools with existing unused ID cards may continue using them until new cards are printed.

Louder streaming ads banned

Senate Bill 576 requires streaming services, including YouTube and Peacock, to ensure commercials are not louder than the shows or videos viewers are watching.

The law is intended to prevent sudden jumps in volume and modernize protections already in place for traditional television.

Driverless vehicle requirements

Assembly Bill 1777 allows law enforcement officers to cite autonomous vehicle companies whose fleets violate traffic laws.

Companies operating driverless vehicles must also maintain a 24/7 emergency hotline staffed by a human representative for first responders.

Housing And Health Care

A new state housing law will override some local zoning rules and allow more multifamily housing developments near major public transit routes, reducing restrictions on some single-family neighborhoods.

Expanded IVF coverage:

Senate Bill 729 requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide health insurance coverage for infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF.

Coverage must include:

• Three completed egg retrievals
• An unlimited number of embryo transfers

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