The 33 New California Laws for 2020 that You Need to Know

From new statewide rent control, to new limits on police use of deadly force, to an increase in the minimum wage, to a new requirement to have health insurance, and so much more, Californians will see some major changes and updates to the laws in 2020.

Did you know that every year, the state of California creates about 1,000 new laws? This year it was actually closer to 1,200! Luckily, most of them do not have a major impact on our lives, but here’s 33 that may be very significant to you. For each new law we also provide related links to our Legal Guides so you can learn more about each area of law.

Keep in mind there’s also new local and federal laws, which we won’t get into here. How to make sense of all of it? You can start by reading our new book, Law is Not for Lawyers (It’s for Everyone): Empower Yourself with the Basics of Law and Civics. Make it a new years resolution!

New Housing Laws

1. Statewide Rent Control

California is the 2nd state to pass statewide rent control. It caps rent increases to no more than 5% plus inflation each year, for buildings which are more than 15 years old. See more at our Guide to Rent Control in California.

2. Evictions from Foreclosed Property

If a tenant is being evicted from a foreclosed property, the landlord must give 90 days notice to end a month-to-month tenancy. To remove a tenant from a foreclosed property where the tenant is on a lease with a specified time period (for example, 1 year), the tenant has the right to stay through the end of the lease.¹Keep Californians Housed Act; Section 1161b of the Code of Civil Procedure See more about Rights for Tenants Being Evicted.

3. Even Easier Granny Flats

Current law as of 2016 makes it easier for homeowners to get a permit to put in a “granny flat” or accessory dwelling unit. The new law removes even more roadblocks. See our Guide to Laws for Homeowners in California.

New Work Related Laws

4. Minimum Wage Increase

The minimum wage for California workers increases to $13/hr for businesses with 26 or more employees; and $12/hr for businesses with 25 or fewer employees. However, many cities have even higher minimum wages than these.

5. Many Independent Contractors May Now Be Employees

Potentially millions of workers who were considered “independent contractors” (aka “freelancers“) will now be considered employees instead. This can affect many things including the control a company has over a worker, and the benefits required to be provided to the worker. It may also lead to many companies simply dropping California workers altogether. See more at What’s the Deal with the New Gig Worker Law (AB5)?

6. Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Existing law requires sexual harassment prevention training only for supervisors at companies with 50 or more employees. The new law requires such training for all employees at companies with 5 or more employees. See our Guide to Laws about Discrimination and Harassment at Work in California.

7. Sexual Harassment Claim Time Limit Extension

A new law extends the time limit to file a sexual harassment claim against an employer from 1 to 3 years.

8. No More Forced Arbitration

Arbitration is a way to resolve legal disputes outside of the court system. Employers and large companies generally prefer arbitration rather than the courts for many reasons (such as that it keeps sexual harassment complaints out of the public eye). A new California law prohibits employers from requiring new employees to agree to arbitration clauses as a condition of their employment. Thus, employees have the right to opt out of these clauses. See more employee laws.

New Health & Healthcare Laws

9. Health Insurance Requirement

Although the federal government repealed the “individual mandate,” California has now passed its own requirement for residents to maintain health insurance. The penalty for failing to have health insurance is at least $695 per year. See our Guide to Laws about Health and Healthcare.

10. New Food Handler Requirements

A food handler must obtain a food handler card from a specified training provider after completing a food handler training course and examination that covers specified topics, including foodborne illness and food contamination.

Food handlers who are employed by certain facilities, including public and private school cafeterias, and organized camps, are no longer exempt from these requirements.

By January 1, 2021, the food handler training course must include instruction relating to major food allergens and symptoms of allergic reactions.

Also, food servers or preparers are no longer allowed to use latex gloves. This is because some people are allergic to latex.

See our Guide to Laws about Health and Healthcare.

11. Easier Birth Control

Women no longer need to consult with a doctor to get birth control. See our Guide to Reproductive Rights.

New Gun Laws

12. Gun Violence Restraining Orders Expansion

Current law allows family members and law enforcement to request a gun restraining order to take guns away from someone thought to be a danger to themselves or others. Starting in September 2020, this will be extended to employers, co-workers, and teachers. See our Guide to Laws about Weapons.

13. Semiautomatic Gun Restriction

Existing law restricted handgun purchases to one per month. The new law will also restrict semiautomatic weapons to one per month.

Existing law bans people under 21 years old from buying a gun, unless they have a hunting license. The new law bans people under 21 from buying a semiautomatic, even if they have a hunting license. See our Guide to Laws about Weapons.

New Education Laws

14. Suspending or Expelling Students

Existing law said that students in kindergarten or grades 1 through 3 may not be suspended. Starting July 2020, this will apply to 4th and 5th grades; and July 2020 through July 2025, to 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. These rules will apply to charter schools starting July 2020. See our Guide to Laws for Students.

15. School Meals

Under the Child Hunger Prevention and Fair Treatment Act of 2017 (actually passed in 2019), a student may not be denied a meal of the student’s choice because of the fact that the student’s parent or guardian has unpaid meal fees. The school must also ensure that the student is not shamed or treated differently from other students. See our Guide to Laws for Students.

New Criminal Justice and Privacy Laws