California

Key California laws taking effect in 2026

Published

4 months ago

December 5, 2025

Key California laws taking effect in 2026

A raft of new legislation is set to take effect for Californians in 2026 after Governor Gavin Newsom signed hundreds of bills over the past year.

The new legislation affects a wide range of issues, such as reducing drug costs, increasing the minimum wage and possibly barring police officers and federal agents from wearing face masks.

Why It Matters

Many of the measures reflect the state’s ongoing push to address affordability, equity and transparency—often amid tension with President Donald Trump’s White House.

The changes directly affect millions of residents, employers, landlords, students and consumers in the nation’s most populous state, serving as a bellwether for legislative trends nationwide.

What To Know

Here is a breakdown of some of the key laws set to go into effect in California in 2026:

Minimum wage increase

The minimum wage is set to increase across the state from $16.50 to $16.90 per hour for all employees.

Several local municipalities are also increasing their minimum wages further, as they are allowed to set wages higher than the state minimum.

Reduction to drug costs

From January 1, Senate Bill 40 would require large state-regulated health insurers to cap insulin co-pays at $35 for a 30-day supply. The same requirement takes effect for smaller plans in 2027.

Californians would also have access to low-cost, state-branded CalRx insulin, priced at $55 for five pens.

Gender-neutral restrooms in schools

Starting July 1, every California public school must provide at least one gender-neutral restroom, as mandated by SB 760.

Police identification and mask ban

From January 1, local and federal law enforcement officers would generally be barred from wearing masks to conceal their identities and must display visible identification when performing enforcement duties.

These measures, codified in SB 627 and SB 805, are facing legal challenges from federal entities.

Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, said the department would not comply with the law.

Ban on cat declawing

Declawing cats for nonmedical reasons is set to be prohibited statewide. The practice is widely condemned as inhumane by animal welfare advocates.

Combating auto scams

Consumers who buy or lease a new or used car from a dealer would have the right to return it for a full refund within three days of purchase. California is set to become the first state in the nation to offer the protection.

Single-use plastic bag ban

From January 1, major changes to the state’s plastics policy go into effect, banning all plastic carryout bags—even thicker varieties previously permitted. Stores would only be allowed to distribute recycled paper bags, subject to a minimum charge.

AI transparency and protections

AI operators must clearly disclose when chatbots are not real people, and companies must implement safeguards to prevent chatbots from encouraging self-harm in minors.

Additional AI regulations are set to increase transparency, ban chatbots from impersonating health care professionals and require new police reporting on AI use.

Required appliances in rentals

Landlords would be legally required to provide working refrigerators and stoves in rental apartments from January 1.

Extended window for sexual assault lawsuits

A new law, AB 250, creates a two-year window—from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027—for adult survivors of sexual assaults to file lawsuits alleging a cover-up. It would allow these individuals to file cases even if the usual statute of limitations lapsed.

What People Are Saying

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in October regarding the legislation on drug costs: “I am pleased to sign SB 41, a bill that will lower health care costs for all Californians. This bill, together with related efforts in the 2025 budget and CalRx, represents the most aggressive effort in the country to lower prescription drug costs. California continues to lead the way in lowering costs, increasing transparency, and ensuring that the savings are passed on to payers and consumers.”

He wrote in a letter in September regarding the ban on officers wearing masks: “Acting on behalf of an authoritarian President, federal immigration authorities are spreading fear and terror throughout California with indiscriminate raids that have rounded up American citizens, people legally in the United States, working parents, and even children.

“America should never be a country where masked ‘secret police’ grab people off the streets and throw them into unmarked vans and speed away. It is unacceptable that government agents, guns in hand, have seized our neighbors while wearing masks under the pretense of protecting themselves when they are, in fact, hiding from public accountability and sowing fear to intimidate the American people.

“For the safety of both the public and law enforcement, Californians must know they are interacting with legitimate law enforcement officers, rather than masked vigilantes.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in November in response to the measure: “Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe, and they do not deserve to be doxed or harassed simply for carrying out their duties. California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents. These laws cannot stand.”

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California

Two California Powerhouse Football Programs Will Clash For First Time Since 2015

Published

12 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Two California Powerhouse Football Programs Will Clash For First Time Since 2015

Two of California’s most storied high school football programs are set to clash this upcoming 2026 season.

Concord De La Salle will host Corona Centennial on September 25 this upcoming fall in a supreme NorCal versus SoCal matchup. It will be the first time the two programs play against each other since they met in the 2015 state championship. De La Salle won 28-21.

De La Salle (12-1 in 2025) is coming off another championship season after winning the North Coast Section Open Division title with a 24-17 win over Pittsburg.

Centennial (11-2) didn’t take home any silverware, but had one of the program’s most successful seasons after beating Mater Dei twice and earning its way to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final.

WHAT MAKES THE MATCHUP LEGENDARY?

When considering the winning tradition and history of each program, it’s not hard to dial this game up as a marquee matchup. It will certainly be labeled the ‘Game of the Week’ locally and regionally, and maybe even nationally.

De La Salle is most notably known for its historic 151-game winning streak from 1992 to 2004. The program has won 40 CIF North Coast Section titles, 18 CIF State titles, and six national championships, according to the school’s website.

Centennial has won 10 CIF Southern Section championships, all under coach Matt Logan. The Huskies won a CIF State title in 2008, and that win came over De La Salle led by NFL linebacker

COACHING PEDIGREE

The coaching matchup makes this game special, too. But there’s where Centennial might have the edge with Matt Logan, who has more than 300 wins in his career along with 10 CIF titles.

Logan became just the 15th coach in California history to reach the 300-win mark this past October. Simi Valley’s Jim Benkert, who currently sits at 314, is the only other active coach, according to history records kept by CalHiSports. Logan started at Centennial in 1997.

De La Salle’s Justin Alumbaugh will enter his 14th season at the helm this coming fall. He’s won the top division in the North Coast Section every year since he’s been at the controls. Alumbaugh holds a career coaching record of 148-21.

CENTENNIAL 2026 SCHEDULE

AUG. 21: at Servite
AUG. 28: vs. Santa Margarita
SEPT. 11: at Mater Dei
SEPT. 18: vs. Rancho Cucamonga
SEPT. 25: at De La Salle
OCT. 2: at Vista Murrieta*
OCT. 9: vs. Murrieta Valley*
OCT. 15: vs. Norco*
OCT. 23: at Chaparral*
OCT. 29: at Murrieta Mesa*

De La Salle has not released its 2026 schedule yet.

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California

Uber and Rivian plan to bring robotaxis to California

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Uber and Rivian plan to bring robotaxis to California

Uber is expanding its role in the robotaxi industry through a new partnership with Rivian, the Irvine-based electric-vehicle maker.

Uber and Rivian announced a partnership Thursday that could bring up to 50,000 self-driving R2 vehicles to cities across the U.S., Canada and Europe by 2031.

The Rivian robotaxis would be available exclusively through Uber’s ride-hailing app.

The partnership will begin with Uber’s purchase of 10,000 fully autonomous R2s, with the option to purchase 40,000 more in 2030. Uber’s investment is subject to the achievement of autonomous performance milestones, the companies said in a news release.

Uber could invest as much as $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031. It already has committed to spending $300 million on the effort.

The first robotaxi deployments are planned for San Francisco and Miami in 2028, followed by 23 more cities, the release said.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with Uber,” Rivian Chief Executive RJ Scaringe said in a statement. “It will help accelerate our path to level 4 autonomy to create one of the safest and most convenient autonomous platforms in the world.”

The R2 is Rivian’s highly anticipated lower-priced SUV, starting at $48,490 for consumers in 2027. Investors hope the more affordable model will boost sales amid declining federal support for electric vehicles.

The company impressed investors with better than expected yearly earnings last month, but has laid off hundreds of employees over the last year.

Rivian is just the latest robotaxi partnership for Uber, which has established itself as a key player in the burgeoning market of self-driving cars.

Last month, Uber announced a set of services known as Uber Autonomous Solutions to offer robotaxi ventures access to its customers, data and software.

Uber is partnering with Volkswagen to bring self-driving ID. Buzz minivans to Los Angeles this year. It’s also teamed up with Silicon Valley-based EV maker Lucid to launch robotaxis later this year and has partnered with robotaxi leader Waymo in Austin and Atlanta.

Rivian announced its third-generation autonomy platform in December, which will launch in the R2 in late 2026. It includes 11 cameras, five radars and one lidar, a laser-based radar.

Rivian robotaxis will compete against Waymo, which operates in 10 major cities, and Elon Musk’s Tesla.

Amazon-backed Zoox also is serving the public in San Francisco and Las Vegas in purpose-built, pill-shaped autonomous vehicles with no steering wheel or gas pedal.

Uber shares, which have slid around 8% this year, gave up around 2% on Thursday, closing at $75.34. Rivian shares, which have fallen 18% this year, rose nearly 4% to $16.12.

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California

Central California health leaders monitor for tuberculosis, stressing testing and treatment

Published

2 days ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Central California health leaders monitor for tuberculosis, stressing testing and treatment

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Thousands of people in California are diagnosed with tuberculosis each year. Health leaders in Central California say they continue monitoring cases closely across the region.

State health data show that in 2025, more than 2,100 people were infected with tuberculosis statewide.

“Tuberculosis is highly contagious. It can be transferred from one person to another simply by talking, singing, coughing or sneezing. This bacteria can be transmitted from one person to another,” said Leticia Berber, a health education specialist with the Fresno County Department of Public Health.

Tuberculosis typically affects the lungs and appears in two forms: active and inactive, also known as latent TB.

“The latent is often referred to as like bacteria that are asleep in your body, and so you can’t get sick from it. You can’t spread it to others,” said Dr. Ignacio Santana, Merced County health officer. “Active TB, on the other hand, which is a second form, the bacteria are awake and they’re making people sick.”

Health leaders in Central California say they are consistently testing and treating latent cases of tuberculosis.

According to the California Department of Public Health, Fresno County reported 50 cases of tuberculosis in 2025, while Merced County reported five cases. In 2024, Fresno County recorded 52 cases and Merced County reported 11.

Santana said health officials remain vigilant, adding that many tuberculosis cases originate outside the United States.

“80% of the TB cases in the US are due to people who are born in a high-incidence country,” he said.

Berber said Fresno County has documented 15 tuberculosis cases so far this year. Health leaders say tuberculosis can be treated, particularly when diagnosed early.

“If we have a latent TB, this individual can take medication for up to three months. Every day, there is a pill to take. This treatment can take up to three to 12 months, depending on the individual’s health status,” Berber said.

Active tuberculosis cases require more aggressive treatment.

Health officials say recognizing symptoms early, wearing masks and undergoing screening remain the most effective ways to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.

For news updates, follow Ana Torrea on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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