California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed hundreds of bills into law this year. Here's what to know

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed hundreds of bills into law this year aimed at addressing a range of key issues facing the state including retail theft, consumer protection and affordable housing. 

According to a February survey by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, jobs, the economy, inflation and homelessness were among the top concerns Californians named as important for the governor and the state Legislature to tackle over the past year. 

In all, Newsom took action on about 1,200 bills. Some of the more noteworthy vetoes include a bill that would have helped undocumented immigrants purchase homes in California; a measure that would have required that all new cars come equipped with speeding alerts and a landmark bill that would have established first-in-the-nation safety measures for large artificial intelligence models. 

Here are some of the most notable bills signed into law this year.

New financial, consumer protection laws

A package of 19 bills implementing financial protections for California consumers was signed into law by the governor last month. The package included legislation that limits overdraft fees issued by a bank when a person has insufficient funds and another that bars the inclusion of most medical bills on a person's credit report and prohibits medical debt from being considered a negative factor in credit decisions. Another bill signed into law limits the amount most landlords can ask for a rental security deposit to no more than one month's rent.

Other consumer protection legislation signed into law will require short-term rental services such as Airbnb to disclose cleaning fees and chore requirements in listings; make it easier to cancel online subscriptions; and crack down on false advertising for products sold online.

More transparency in pet insurance rules, pricing

Senate Bill 1217, which was signed into law by Newsom last month, requires pet insurance providers to provide more transparency regarding their coverage, pricing and premium changes based on the age of the pet or where it lives. The legislation is meant to help pet owners seeking medical treatment for their furry, feathered or scaly loved ones, which often requires upfront payment with policyholders filing for reimbursement at a later date. 

Under the new law, insurers must disclose whether a policy excludes coverage for pre-existing conditions, hereditary disorders and congenital defects for chronic conditions, allowing pet owners to make more informed decisions.

Cracking down on property theft, retail crime

Smash-and-grab robberies, in which thieves slam their way through storefronts using things such as sledgehammers or even cars, have been happening across California from Los Angeles to San Francisco. 

Some have blamed such crimes on Proposition 47, enacted in 2014, which reduced penalties for some drug and theft-related offenses as part of broader decimalization efforts in the state. 

A series of bills signed by Newsom in August will implement stiffer penalties for those convicted of retail and property theft; amend existing laws to make it easier to arrest and prosecute suspects; create new penalties for the damaging of businesses in the course of a theft; and allow prosecution of property thefts from cars. 

In a statement, Newsom called the bill package "the most significant legislation to address property crime in modern California history."

New gun control measures

California already has some of the toughest gun laws in the U.S. — the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence ranks the state No. 1 in the country for firearm safety. Two dozen bills signed into law by Newsom will address issues like how firearms are stored and who can buy them.

This legislative package restricts convicted stalkers, animal abusers and people found not competent to stand trial from purchasing guns; heightens safe storage requirements and increases penalties for gun owners whose firearms are accessed by children; and seeks to crack down on so-called ghost guns, which can't be traced. Other new laws are aimed at protecting domestic violence victims, preventing hate crimes involving firearms and improving school safety. 

In a statement announcing the legislation, the governor's office noted that firearm killings are the leading cause of death among children and teens nationwide.

AI laws addressing deepfakes, celebrity digital clones

With the ability to simulate a person's likeness or mimick someone's voice, artificial intelligence has introduced new challenges.

A bill signed into law by the governor makes it a crime to create and distribute sexually explicit, authentic-looking AI-generated images that depict a real person in order to cause the individual emotional distress. State Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Hayward Democrat who authored the new law, said in a statement that it will protect victims from "damaged reputations that can lead to a lack of workplace promotions, mental health deterioration, shame, and isolation."

Another bill from Wahab that Newsom signed into law requires social media platforms to make it possible for users to report such content, allowing the images to be temporarily blocked while the platform investigates and potentially bans them permanently.

Three other laws address misleading election-related deepfakes. Two of the three measures have already drawn court challenges amid a highly contested 2024 election.

Two other bills signed into law aim to tackle the concerns of the entertainment industry, which has been particularly alarmed by the possibilities of AI.

Assembly Bill 1836 adds protections for actors and other performers in contracts regarding AI uses of their image, likeness or voice. Assembly Bill 2602 requires the consent of a deceased entertainer's estate for AI replicas of their likeness. Several actors, including Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson, have taken issue with digital clones being created of them.

"No one should live in fear of becoming someone else's unpaid digital puppet," SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement upon the signing of AB 1836. 

Protecting children in the digital age

Newsom also signed legislation to help protect the safety of children as technology and social media evolves.

One new law makes it illegal for online platforms to send notifications to minors — without parental consent — between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. and during typical school hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. The limitations on weekday notifications will run through the typical school year of September through May.

Senate Bill 976, the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, has been described by supporters and Newsom as a way to address the harmful impacts that can be left on minors. 

"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," the governor said in a signing statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."  

Another new law, AB 3216, or the Phone-Free School Act, requires school districts, charter schools and county education offices across California to establish guidelines for student cell phone use on campus by July 1, 2026.

The governor also signed two other laws that implement protections for minors on social media.

One of the bills, AB 1880, draws from the decades-old "Coogan Law," which requires setting aside 15% of a child actor's gross earnings in a trust that the child can access upon turning 18. Now, the same must be done for children working as influencers or online content creators. 

Actor and singer Demi Lovato, who has spoken out about her experiences as a child star, applauded the legislation.

"This is essentially the Coogan Law for the digital age," she said.

Senate Bill 764 establishes financial and legal protections for children featured in monetized content popular among mommy bloggers and parenting influencers, who post sponsored and money-earning content that features their kids. Vlogger parents or guardians will be required to set aside a percentage of their earnings from posts in trust accounts for their children and must keep a careful accounting of such earnings.

"This bill would require the vlogger to maintain records, including, among others, the number of vlogs that generated compensation and the amount deposited into the trust account, and to provide them to the minor once per month," according to the bill language. "The bill would authorize the minor to enforce these provisions in court."  

Providing resources to California's Native American population

The governor also signed a series of laws to provide resources to Native Americans in California, which is home to more than 100 federally recognized tribes.

Assembly Bill 2695 by Assemblyman James C. Ramos of San Bernardino County, a Democrat who is a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, will require law enforcement agencies to gather data on crimes that take place on Native American lands and provide that information to the state Department of Justice, as well as offer education and training on policing and criminal investigation. 

Assembly Bill 1821, also authored by Ramos, will require public schools to include instruction on the mistreatment of Native Americans during a number of the state's historical periods, notably during Spanish colonization and the gold rush. 

"I'm proud of the progress California has made to reckon with the dark chapters of our past, and we're committed to continuing this important work to promote equity, inclusion and accountability for Native peoples," Newsom said in a statement. "As we celebrate the many tribal communities in California today, we recommit to working with tribal partners to better address their unique needs and strengthen California for all."

Improving street safety for drivers, pedestrians

Street takeovers, also called sideshows, and street racing have become a concern for Californians across the state in recent years, endangering pedestrians and drivers despite efforts from law enforcement to curb the issue.

A series of bills signed into law by the governor aims to impose stricter penalties and increase accountability for sideshow participants.

"Sideshows are reckless, criminal activities that endanger our communities. We have seen too many people killed or hurt at these events," Newsom said in a press release. "Today, we are sending a clear message to anyone considering participating in or attending a sideshow: stricter penalties are in place, including the potential loss of your vehicle."

The governor also signed a bill that approves the installation of five new speed cameras along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, a stretch that has claimed dozens of lives since 2010, including four Pepperdine students in 2023. 

Senate Bill 1297 by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) requires that signs be posted along the highway to make drivers aware of cameras in the area. 

"Over 60 lives lost on one stretch of our iconic Pacific Coast Highway is unacceptable — it's a call to action," Newsom said in a statement. 

Plastic bags banned at grocery stores

Despite an existing law banning plastic bags at California grocery stores, a loophole allowed their continued use for the better part of a decade, with some grocers offering even thicker plastic bags under the idea that they were more reusable and recyclable. 

This year, a survey by the California Public Interest Research Group, or CALPIRG, found just 2% of shoppers were actually reusing the bags.

Now, AB 2236 and SB 1053, which passed the Legislature in companion bills from the Senate and Assembly, will prohibit plastic bags completely with paper bags being offered instead.

"Plastic bags create pollution in our environment and break into microplastics that contaminate our drinking water and threaten our health," said Jenn Engstrom, the director of CALPIRG. "Californians voted to ban plastic grocery bags in our state almost a decade ago, but the law clearly needed a redo. With the Governor's signature, California has finally banned plastic bags in grocery checkout lanes once and for all."

The law goes into effect in 2026. 

Increasing transparency at youth residential treatment facilities

Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 1043, the Accountability in Children's Treatment Act, which was championed by reality television star Paris Hilton and authored by Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield). 

The new law requires the California Department of Social Services to note on their website any incidents in which staff at youth residential treatment facilities used restraints or isolated patients, as well as alert the parents or guardians of the child or children affected. 

Tougher penalties for exploiting, soliciting minors

Under a new law, soliciting minors under the age of 16 for sex will now be a felony in California. Grove also authored this bill, which was drafted with input from survivors of such crimes.

Newsom also signed three other measures that aim to boost protections for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, including a bill that requires emergency rooms to implement protocols that allow patients to discreetly notify health care workers of abuse.

More transparency in California's storage of newborn DNA

A decade-long investigation conducted by CBS News prompted the passing of SB 1099, which aims to provide more transparency about the state's long-term storage of newborn DNA and blood samples, a practice in place since the 1980s.

Under the new law, the California Department of Public Health must now reveal the number of newborn DNA samples the state is storing and the number of DNA samples it sells to researchers on a yearly basis. 

More information on CBS News' investigation is available here. 

New regulations for oil and gas operations near schools, neighborhoods

Three new bills signed by the governor will regulate the locations and operations of gas and oil drilling sites across California, giving local governments the ability to restrict their proximity to schools and neighborhoods.

Assembly bills 3233 authorizes local governments to determine how, where and when gas operations are run. Assembly Bill 1866 places stricter restrictions on idle wells that can leak and pollute nearby areas. 

Assembly Bill 2716 creates new regulations for the Baldwin Hills Conservancy or Inglewood Oil Field. Environmental advocates have said the low-producing wells in the oil field have contaminated surrounding areas, negatively affecting the health of the community — predominantly people of color. 

"These impacts are disproportionately impacting Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in California, who are most likely to live in close proximity to oil extraction activities and who are the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change," the text of the legislation reads. 

Expanding methadone access amid the opioid crisis

The governor signed a bill aiming to increase access to medication for opioid addiction amid the ongoing crisis facing California and the rest of the country.

Assembly Bill 2115 by Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) changes California's laws on methadone access, aligning them with the federal guidelines set by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

Those changes will allow doctors to start working towards treatment immediately, with up to 72 hours of take-home methadone available via prescription. In the past, state regulations have only allowed methadone clinics to prescribe the drug. 

"Dealers are much better at getting fentanyl and heroin into people's hands than we are at getting them addiction medication. We have to reverse that entirely if we want to save people's lives," Haney said.

The bill goes into effect immediately due to its emergency status. 

Boosting resources to address homelessness, expand housing

Newsom signed a number of bills into law that will take steps towards boosting homebuilding and providing more resources to those experiencing homelessness. 

Among the bills signed were AB 1893 and SB 1037, which aim to bolster construction of affordable and transitional housing, and penalize jurisdictions that fail to comply with state housing laws. 

"We've never provided more support at the local level, but local government needs to do their job. They need to provide that support and that housing. They need to get people off the streets and sidewalks. People are dying on their watch," Newsom said. "We continue to struggle with accountability. We continue to struggle with transparency. For those who turn their back on this crisis, we're turning up the heat."

Another new law, AB 3093, will require local governments to plan housing for acutely low and extremely low income households. 

Cannabis cafes in California 

"Amsterdam-style" cannabis cafes that offer food, drinks, live entertainment and of course, marijuana, will be legalized in California.

Assembly Bill 1775, also by Assemblyman Haney, authorizes cannabis businesses to prepare and sell non-cannabis foods and beverages along with selling tickets to live performances.

"Lots of people want to enjoy legal cannabis in the company of others," Haney said in a statement. "And many people want to do that while sipping coffee, eating a sandwich, or listening to music. That is now finally legal in California and there's no doubt that cannabis cafes will bring massive economic, cultural and creative opportunities and benefits to our state."

The new law comes as the state continues to battle against illicit sales of cannabis, which are believed to have surpassed $8 billion in 2023, according to cannabis research firm Global Go Analytics. 

Cannabis was legalized in California in 2016 under voter-approved Proposition 64. 

Last call moves to 4 a.m. at LA's Intuit Dome

State law currently prohibits alcohol sales between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. But that will no longer be the case for one venue in Southern California. 

VIP guests at the Intuit Dome, the new home of the L.A. Clippers, will be able to buy alcohol until 4 a.m. — two hours past the existing 2 a.m. cutoff time. Newsom signed AB 3206 as part of a broader pilot program pushing back last call time.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was behind the bill; his company, Murphy's Bowl, sponsored the legislation. 

Ban on legacy and donor admissions at private universities 

One of the final bills signed into law this month was AB 1780, which bans private universities in California from considering legacy and donor preferences in admissions. It follows a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prevents race from being considered in college admissions. 

Supporters of the bill have argued that other criteria, such as wealth or personal relationships, shouldn't give applicants an upper hand. 

"Hard work, good grades and a well-rounded background should earn you a spot in the incoming class — not the size of the check your family can write or who you're related to," said Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), author of the bill.