New Laws 2025: Showcasing Our Democratic Wins Across the State

California state legislators are taking decisive action to combat the fentanyl crisis by expanding access to treatment, increasing education on the dangers of fentanyl, and aligning state regulations with federal standards to ensure a comprehensive approach. These actions include; among others:

• AB 2115 (Haney) - Improves access to Methadone to treat individuals with opioid use disorder.
• AB 2376 (Bains) - Allows more hospitals to offer addiction treatment without requiring separate facilities.
• AB 2429 (Alvarez) - Requires school districts to include instruction on the dangers of fentanyl in health classes, beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

California continues to lead the nation with strong gun safety laws aimed at reducing gun violence and protecting vulnerable communities. State legislators have advanced new measures to advance responsible gun ownership, enhance public safety, and further protect Californians from gun-related violence. This includes:

• AB 1858 (Ward) - Requires school shooting drills to be age-appropriate, including banning simulated violence.
• AB 2642 (Berman) - Cracks down the open carry of firearms in front of polling places to intimidate voters.
• AB 2739 (Maienschein) - Specifies that any handgun or loaded long gun unlawfully carried in public is considered a public nuisance, mandating that such firearms be surrendered.
• AB 2917 (Zbur) - Expands eligibility to obtain gun violence restraining orders in response to stalking, animal cruelty, or threats of violence based on race or religion.

California state legislators have strengthened the unique needs of children and families. These new laws provide greater support in mental health services, safety measures, and public health education. This includes:

• AB 1282 (Lowenthal) - Requires a statewide strategy be developed by 2026 to address mental health risks from social media for youth.
• AB 1936 (Cervantes) - Requires health plans to cover at least one mental health screening during pregnancy and additional postpartum screenings.
• AB 2317 (Quirk-Silva) - Improves coordination of direct services for foster youth to support their educational and personal development.
• AB 2229 (Wilson) - Improves menstrual health education to address stigma and promote awareness of menstrual health and medical care.
• AB 2316 (Gabriel) - Bans the sale of food containing certain artificial dyes in school meals.
• AB 2927 (McCarty) - Mandates that high schools offer a one-semester course in personal finance, starting in 2027.
• AB 2998 (McKinnor) - Permits students aged 12 and older to carry and administer approved opioid reversal medications such as Narcan.

California state legislators are prioritizing public safety with new measures to reduce crime, protect vulnerable populations, and foster safer communities. These actions include, among others:

• AB 1779 (Irwin) - allows theft-related crimes across multiple counties to be prosecuted in a single jurisdiction.
• AB 1802 (Jones-Sawyer) - extends business protections and empowers law enforcement by making the regional property crimes task force permanent.
• AB 1960 (Robert Rivas) - enhances retail theft sentences for damaging or destroying property while committing a felony.
• AB 2943 (Zbur) - creates stronger penalties for organized retail theft, allowing law enforcement to act faster and protect our communities.
• AB 3209 (Berman) - creates retail theft restraining orders to enhance safety for stores and shoppers.
• AB 2099 (Bauer-Kahan) - Increases penalties for criminal attacks on reproductive health clinics.
• AB 1864 (Connolly) - Enhances protections for children from pesticide drift while they are at school or in daycare, promoting a safe learning environment.
• AB 2295 (Addis) - Removes the statute of limitations on specified sex crimes against youth.
• AB 2527 (Bauer-Kahan) - Restricts the use of solitary confinement pregnant or postpartum incarcerated people.

California state legislators are implementing bold initiatives to increase housing access and reduce homelessness by streamlining development processes, expanding funding, and ensuring a comprehensive approach to address housing needs across all income levels. These new measures support a more inclusive housing environment and provide critical resources for those facing homelessness. This includes:

• AB 2243 (Wicks) - Broadens the reach of the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, expanding its applicability.
• AB 2694 (Ward) - Facilitates the development of more affordable housing options for seniors under the Density Bonus Law.
• AB 1801 (Jackson) - Allows supportive housing developments to include administrative office space in nonresidential areas.
• AB 2533 (Juan Carrillo) - Extends the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) amnesty law to unpermitted ADUs and junior ADUs built before 2020.
• AB 3057 (Wilson) - Allows junior ADUs to be developed with expedited environmental review.
• AB 2835 (Gabriel) - Allows hotels and motels to continue serving as longer-term homeless shelters.
• AB 3093 (Ward) - Ensures local government housing planning processes consider the needs of those most at risk of homelessness.
• AB 799 (Luz Rivas) - Requires the state to develop a strategic funding guide and calendar of funding opportunities to address homelessness.

California state legislators are advancing affordable living by enacting critical housing measures aimed at reducing costs, improving transparency, and preserving long-term affordability. These initiatives focus on making housing more accessible and affordable for all Californians while enhancing accountability in the housing sector. This includes:

• AB 1820 (Schiavo) - Requires local agencies to provide developers with detailed information on fees and throughout the housing development process.
• AB 2439 (Alvarez) - Prohibits cities and counties from charging unnecessary fees on affordable housing developments.
• AB 2663 (Grayson) - Mandates local agencies with inclusionary housing fees to publicly post information on how the money is used.
• AB 1053 (Gabriel) - Creates financing flexibility for affordable housing developers
• AB 2926 (Kalra) - Facilitates a purchase process to ensure that existing affordable housing units remain affordable when sold to a new owner.