These Are The New California Laws Going Into Effect In 2026

With a new year comes new laws, check out some of the new laws that are going into effect in California for 2026.

• Plastic Bag Ban (SB 1053) - consumers will need to buy a bag made of recycled paper or use their own reusable bags when shopping.
• Food Delivery Platforms (AB 578) - requires food delivery platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates) to provide a full refund to customers if an order is not delivered or if the wrong order was delivered.
• Overdraft Fees (SB 1075) - prohibits credit unions from charging an overdraft fee or a nonsufficient funds fee above $14.
• Streaming Services (SB 576) - starting in July, streaming services cannot play ads with a louder volume than the show or movie being watched.
• Vehicle Sales (SB 766) - starting in October, customers can return a used vehicle within 3 days of purchase.
• Parking Tickets (AB 1299) - reduces or waves parking fines if owner of vehicles provides evidence they are unable to pay for the ticket in full due to homelessness or financial hardship.
• Tortillas Folic Acid (AB 1053) - new ingredient is being added to store-bought corn tortillas; manufacturers must add folic acid to corn tortillas and corn masa product to prevent birth defects.
• Food Allergens (SB 68) - starting in July, restaurants with 20 or more locations nationally must list major food allergens on menu for each item.
• Food Safety Labels (AB 660) - food manufacturers must stop using "Sell by" dates and instead replace them with "Best If Use By" or "Use or Freeze By"
• Insulin Cost (SB 40) - caps the out-of-pocket cost of insulin to $35 for a 30-day supply for health plans.
• Infertility and Fertility Services - larger employer health plans must cover infertility diagnosis and treatment for all individuals.
• Cat Declawing (AB 867) - bans practice of declawing a cat to prevent them from scratching.
• Account Cancellation (AB 656) - requires social media platforms provide an easy way for a user to delete an account and all their personal information.
• Delete Act (SB 362) - California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) must create a simple opt-out platform for consumers that want data brokers to delete their personal information.
• Phone-Free Schools (AB 3216) - California school districts have until July to limit or prohibit use of smartphones by students when they're on campus.
• Minimum Wage - minimum wage in California will be going up to $16.90 per hour, which is an increase of $.40
• Rental Dwellings (AB 628) - landlords must provide a working stove and refrigerator for any rental dwelling if the contract is signed in 2026 or later.
• Tenant Protection (AB 246) - prevents eviction if a tenant is unable to pay the rent because of Social Security payments being delayed or terminated by federal government.
• Family Preparedness Act (AB 495) - allows court to appoint legal guardian for children if their parents are deported.
• Immigration Enforcement in Schools (AB 49) - prohibits school officials and employees from allowing federal immigration enforcement agents to enter schools without warrant or court order.
• Law Enforcement Masks (SB 627) - makes it a crime for law enforcement officers to wear a mask or facial covering while performing duties.

Click here for more information about the new 2026 California Laws.