Over 1000 new California Laws took effect on January 1st, 2019, affecting not only our favorite Sonoma County small businesses, but California as a whole.
These new laws relate to children’s meals, concealed carry permits, wildfire legislation and more.
We encourage our community’s feedback, so please call Merrill, Arnone & Jones (MAJ Law) at (707) 528-2882 if you have any questions about the below new 2019 laws in California.
2019 California Laws affecting Small Business
- Assembly Bill No. 485: California pet stores are to only sell dogs, cats, and rabbits from shelters, animal control or rescue groups. Pet stores will not be allowed to purchase animals from breeders.
- Assembly Bill No. 516: Auto dealers are to issue temporary paper license plates to newly purchased cars to ensure that all drivers pay their required tolls.
- Assembly Bill No. 626: Mandates that it is no longer illegal to sell homemade food.
- Assembly Bill No. 1066: Agricultural workers will be paid overtime. Within four years, workers on large farms will receive time and a half wages when working more than eight hours a day or forty hours a week.
- Assembly Bill No. 1274: Cars eight years old or newer will be exempted from smog checks; however, in years seven and eight, there will be a smog abatement fee of $25.
- Assembly Bill No. 1619: Victims of sexual assault are allowed up to a decade to seek civil damages.
- Assembly Bill No. 1884: Full-service restaurants are now prohibited from providing single-use plastic straws unless asked for one from a customer.
- Assembly Bill No. 1976: Businesses must provide breaks and private lactations spaces other than a restroom for nursing mothers.
- Assembly Bill No. 2103: Applicants must undergo a minimum of eight hours of training and pass a live-fire shooting test to receive a concealed carry permit.
- Assembly Bill No. 2499: Health plans are required to spend at least 80% of each premium dollar on health care.
- Assembly Bill No. 2989: Any person over the age of 18 or older may ride an electric scooter without a helmet on any city street up to 35 miles per hour.
- Minimum Wage: California’s minimum wage will rise to $11 per hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees and $12 per hour for businesses staffing 26 or more employees.
- Senate Bill No. 10: Eliminates bail for suspects awaiting trial.
- Senate Bill No. 90: Insurers are prohibited from offering short-term health plans.
- Senate Bill No. 179: Nonbinary Californians will be able to obtain a driver’s license or state-issued ID that includes a gender nonbinary option without providing a doctors authorization.
- Senate Bill No. 820: Companies are forbidden from forcing employees who settle sexual harassment complaints to sign nondisclosure agreements. Victims will be able to remain confidential, but perpetrators names can no longer be withheld.
- Senate Bill No. 826: Public companies must have at least one female director on their boards by the end of 2019.
- Senate Bill No. 946: Vendors will be permitted to sell goods on sidewalks with a designated permit.
- Senate Bill No. 957: White and green low emission decals will no longer grant access to carpool lanes on the freeway. Drivers must have a red decal or the required amount of passengers to be allowed in the carpool lane.
- Senate Bill No. 969: New garage doors installed must have a battery backup that will be able to lift the door in the event of a power outage.
- Senate Bill No. 1046: Any California citizens found guilty of driving under the influence will have to temporarily install an ignition interlock device (breathalyzer) into their call until receiving their driver’s license back.
- Senate Bill No. 1192: All restaurants must serve water or milk as default with kids meals unless a different beverage is specifically ordered.
- Senate Bill No. 1300: Businesses are banned from requiring victims of sexual harassment to sign releases of liability as a condition of continued employment.
- Senate Bill No. 1343: All California employees are to receive biannual sexual harassment training.
- Senate Bill No. 1346: California has banned all “Bump Stocks.”
Bookmark this page to stay up-to-date on new small business laws affecting local businesses in California, or share on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.