By Assembly member Marie Waldron
Bills passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor usually go into effect January 1st of the following year. Here are just a few: Business-related laws California’s hourly minimum wage will increase to $16 for most workers on January 1st and to $20 for fast food workers in April. Wages for healthcare workers will increase gradually to $25 by 2033
Employers will be prohibited from asking about an employee’s prior or current off-site cannabis use
Employees will now be entitled to a minimum of five paid sick days each year
Retailers will be required to have a gender-neutral toy section
Manufacturers will be required to provide consumers and repair shops with parts or instructions to repair devices valued over $50
Hidden fees will have to be disclosed, including for hotels, short-term rentals and food delivery services.
Firearms-related laws
New restrictions will be placed on concealed carry permit holders, despite the recent Supreme Court ruling
An 11% tax will be placed on firearms and ammunition
Criminal penalties
Child sex trafficking will now be defined as a serious felony, allowing life sentences for repeat offenders
Prison sentences for those trafficking over a kilo of fentanyl will be enhanced
The statute of limitations to receive damages for victims of childhood sexual assault will be eliminated
Penalties for those using swastikas or other hate symbols at schools, religious institutions, cemeteries and other locations will increase
Others
Local jurisdictions will no longer be able to ban cruising
Landlords will only be allowed to charge one month’s rent as a security deposit
Counties will have more leeway to put those suffering from severe mental illness into treatment or temporary psychiatric holds
For better or worse, these are just a few new laws for 2024. The Legislature returns to Sacramento January 3rd —many more are on the way.
Assembly member Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.
