Hundreds of laws—930 to be exact—went into effect this year. Most took effect back in January; however, a number of them went into effect on July 1. Here are a few:
Smartphone kill switches: Senate Bill 962 requires all smartphones sold in California have theft-deterring technology that allows owners to remotely disable their stolen devices.
Pet insurance: Assembly Bill 2056 requires that pet insurance policies clearly disclose details, including coverage limitations, reimbursements, waiting periods, and deductibles.
Fines for assisted living home violations: Under AB 2236, the top fine for violations of State regulations of State-licensed assisted-living homes increases from $150 to $15,000. This law is part of a package of bills that tightens California’s oversight of the State’s 7,500 assisted living homes.
Mandatory paid sick days: AB 1522 requires almost all California employers provide a minimum of three paid sick days to employees who currently receive no sick time. Employees can use the sick days starting on the 90th day of employment.
Ride-service insurance coverage: AB 2293 requires that drivers for ride-service companies, such as Uber and Lyft, must be insured during the time they have their app open but have yet to accept a call. The bill also calls on insurance companies to offer policies tailored specifically for ride-service drivers.
Lead ammunition ban: The first of three phases of AB 711, the law bans lead ammunition by barring its use for hunting in certain areas.
For more information on the laws effective in July, go to the Office of Governor’s website at http://gov.ca.gov.
