January 4, 2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 997 bills into law this year, while other statutes approved earlier also went into effect. (Los Angeles Times)

By Andrew J. Campa Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Wednesday, Jan. 4. I’m Andrew J. Campa , a metro reporter writing from the San Gabriel Valley (you can thank us for Sriracha anytime). This weekend, champagne bottles welcomed the beginning of a new year — and with it a new batch laws affecting California residents. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 997 bills into law in 2022, and some statutes approved years earlierwent into effect. The Times’ Phil Willon wrote about the matter extensively and focused on a few dozen changes that cover abortion and health; the workplace; housing; climate change and the environment, criminal justice, policing and guns; civil rights and more. Among the changes: Senate Bill 1735 allows experienced nurse practitioners to work independently of doctors, while abortion care will require less or no physician oversight. Around 3 million workers who earn minimum wage in California will receive an increase of 50 cents per hour, which raises their pay to $15.50. The bump comes from a provision in a 2016 wage law that raises the pay rate if inflation passes 7%. With the increase, California maintains the highest minimum wage in the nation. Street vendors will have one less hurdle to overcome with Senate Bill 972, which makes vending and local health permits easier to obtain. Many of the current regulations are based on larger-scale food trucks and not individual carts. The law also ends the prohibition on reheating prepacked foods. Assembly Bill 2097 stops local governments from setting parking spot requirements at most developments located near transit stops. Senate Bill 1137 bars the California Geological Management Division from approving new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of residences, an education and community resource, healthcare facility or any public building deemed a “sensitive receptor.” The oil industry is pushing back, with plans for a ballot measure campaign to counter the law. The so-called “pink tax” — when businesses price similar products and goods, such as razors and deodorant, higher for women than men — is now banned. A law that split criminal justice reformers and law enforcement advocates allows the criminal convictions of some Californians to be sealed if they maintain a clear record. School boards, city councils and similar governing bodies now have expanded authority to eject unruly members of the public. The bill expands language currently used to expel people who are “willingly interrupting” meetings to include any action that “substantially impairs or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting.” Finally, state ballot measure Propositions 1 and 31, approved overwhelming by voters, went into effect in December. Proposition 1enshrined a person’s “fundamental right to choose to have an abortion,” while Proposition 31 prohibited the vending of most flavored tobacco products. With nearly 1,000 new laws in effect, there’s plenty to review.