New California Laws for 2025

With the start of the new year, new laws come into effect, shifting the legal framework of the state. From employment law to insurance changes, below you can read more about the new California Laws for 2025.

New California Laws for 2025

Hundreds of new state laws and amendments are taking effect in 2025. Keep reading to learn about a few worth noting:

Crime and Safety

• AB 1394 Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Aims to hold social media platforms accountable for their role in sexual exploitation, particularly in cases involving minors. Requires them to establish auditing protocols to enhance the prevention and reporting of this issue.
• SB 1414 Solicitation of a Minor: This bill aims to enhance the protection of minors against sex trafficking by strengthening protocols for holding offenders accountable.
• SB 428 Restraining Orders for Employee Harassment: Authorizes employers to seek temporary restraining orders to protect their employees from harassment in the workplace.

Education

• AB 1780 Legacy and Donor Preference in Admissions: Prohibits independent and higher education institutions in California from granting admission preference based on legacy or donor status. However, this bill does not take effect until September 1, 2025, and does not affect 2025 fall semester applicants.
• AB 1821 Treatment of Native Americans: Requires public schools in California to teach about the experiences and viewpoints of Native Americans during the Spanish colonization and Gold Rush periods.

Employment

• Effective January 1, 2025, California’s state minimum wage increased to $16.50 per hour. 
• AB 2123 Paid Family Leave: Allows employees to take paid family leave without depleting their vacation time.
• SB 988 Freelance Worker Protection Act: Aims to protect freelance workers’ rights. Ensures employees provide a written contract and that payments are made in a timely manner.
• SB 399 Mandatory Meetings: Prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who refuse to attend employer-sponsored meetings about politics, religion, or other non-work-related topics.

Housing

• SB 611 Fees and Security: Prohibits landlords from charging fees for delivering notices. It also allows tenants to pay rent and security deposits by check without incurring extra fees.
• AB 2347 Evictions: Extends a tenant’s time to respond to an eviction notice from 5 to 10 days, providing more time for renters to seek legal guidance.

Health

• AB 1817 and AB 2771 Product Safety: Prohibits the manufacture, sale, or distribution of new textile and cosmetic products containing polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
• SB 540 Cannabis Products Health Warnings: Requires retailers, microbusinesses, or anyone delivering cannabis products to clearly display health warnings according to the most recent research at the point of sale or delivery—whether in person or online—by March 1, 2025.
• SB 729 Treatment for Infertility Coverage: Requires health insurance plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility—including previously excluded IVF—starting July 1, 2025. Religious employers are, however, excluded from this.

Consumers

• AB 2426 Digital Goods: Requires sellers to clarify to consumers “purchasing” digital goods like games or music that what they are receiving is a license to access the product, and not full ownership of it.
• SB 1217 Pet Insurance: Aims to increase transparency from pet insurance providers about policy changes based on age or location, their coverage of pre-existing, congenital, and chronic conditions, and more.
• AB 2863 Automatic Renewals: Requires businesses to obtain clear, affirmative consent from consumers before charging for automatic renewals.
• AB 2017 Overdraft Fees: Prohibits banks and credit unions from charging non-sufficient funds fees when a transaction is declined instantaneously or near instantaneously due to insufficient funds.

Entertainment

• SB 969 Entertainment Zones: Allows local governments to designate “entertainment zones”. There, alcohol can be legally consumed on public streets and sidewalks.
• AB 1775 Cannabis Cafés: Allows licensed cannabis retailers to prepare and serve non-cannabis food and beverages.

Online

• SB 764 Minors in Online Platforms: Ensures a portion of the earnings from videos that feature minors is put aside in a trust for the benefit of the minor.
• AB 1979 Doxxing Victims Recourse Act: Victims of doxxing are entitled to seek compensation for damages of up to $30,000.

Other Changes

Auto Insurance

With the new year and the renewal of auto insurance policies, minimum liability limits will see a significant increase. These changes aim to provide better financial protection to victims of accidents:

• Bodily Injury or Death per Person: Increases from $15,000 to $30,000
• Bodily Injury or Death per Accident: Increases from $30,000 to $60,000
• Property Damage per Accident: Increases from $5,000 to $15,000

Stay Updated About New California Laws for 2025

New laws can affect your everyday life and rights. This makes it essential to stay up to date on changes to legislation.

If you require expert legal assistance, Adamson Ahdoot is here to help.

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