California had a landmark year in 2022 thanks to new laws protecting restaurants and small businesses, protecting workers, addressing the housing and homeless crisis, reforming our police system, strengthening social justice, and other important changes.
Fairness for consumers, restaurants, and delivery drivers
California took extraordinary steps to help restaurants that were affected by the pandemic. It provided billions in tax relief, lending, grants, loans, training and fees waivers for small and large businesses to help them reopen their economy.
AB 286 (Gonzalez) Protects restaurants from delivery apps charging customers more for menu items than is advertised by the restaurant and from pocketing delivery drivers’ tips.
Workplace Safety and Wages
California has also increased the minimum wage to $15 an hour for employers with 26 or more employees. California has also committed to strengthening protections for its workers.
AB 701 (Gonzalez) increases protections for warehouse workers’ quotas and assures both meal and rest breaks will not be revoked to meet their quotas.
AB 1003 (Gonzalez), makes intentional theft of wages criminally prosecutable as grand theft.
SB 62 (Durazo), requires that garment workers be paid per hour and not per piece.
Family Leave
Did you know California was one of the first states to provide family leave benefits?
AB 1033 (Bauer Kahan), expands family leave laws to provide care for in-laws.
Housing
California is making significant investments to address the housing crisis. These include $12 billion to build housing and mental health programs for those experiencing homelessness; $10.3 billion to finance affordable housing construction; $5.2 billion for utility and rental assistance; and $1.3 billion to help first-time buyers and struggling homeowners.
Police Reform
California is continuing to push for public safety that is truly about the safety and well-being of all citizens, and not just those of a few. Communities of color have been subject to injustice for decades when they interact directly with those charged with protecting public safety. It is time to act.
AB 26 (Holden), requires law enforcement officers report any potential excessive force immediately and to intervene if they observe an officer using excessive force.
AB 89 (Jones–Sawyer), states that potential law enforcement officers must meet certain educational requirements and be at least 18 years old before they can become officers.
AB 490 (Gipson), prohibits law enforcement techniques that present a substantial danger of positional asthma that could lead to serious injury or death.
AB 750 (Jones–Sawyer), makes it illegal for law enforcement officers to knowingly make a false report to another officer.
AB 846 (Burke), requires that prospective officers in law enforcement be evaluated for bias before they are allowed to become officers.
SB 2 (Bradford) criminalizes law enforcement officers interfering with an individual’s civil rights.
Protecting against Sexual Assault and Harassment
California already took steps to protect victims on the internet. The law must also evolve with technology.
AB 453 (C. Garcia), classifies removing a Condom without Consent as Sexual Battery.
AB 514 (Ward), allows victims of revenge porn to make civil lawsuits against those responsible.
AB 764, Cervantes, expands existing contempt laws against stalkers who contact victims via digital media.
Combating Racism and Discrimination
New laws take effect on January 1 that aim to eliminate discrimination and racism in California’s communities.
AB 3070 (S. Weber), reduces discrimination during jury selection.
SB 796 (Bradford) requires the County of Los Angeles to return Bruce’s Beach to the descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce, a Black family who owned the property until the City of Manhattan Beach seized the land with racist intent in 1929.