New California laws aim to protect reproductive rights, increase affordable housing

Gov. Gavin Newsom ushered in a slew of new legislation going into effect with the start of the new year, calling California “more than just a state of dreamers,” but also “a state of doers.”

Among the many new bills that highlighted this week by Newsom and his partnership with the Legislature were those supporting reproductive rights of Californians and increased affordable housing, along with legislation targeting oil companies and protecting the safety, health, and well-being of Californians.

Here is a look at some of the bills that went into effect Jan. 1:

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, officials from the Governor’s Office said California is building on its nation-leading efforts to safeguard reproductive freedom for all Californians with a pair of bills.

– AB352, introduced by 16th Assembly District Representative Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, requires companies that manage electronic health records to protect electronic medical records related to abortion, gender-affirming care, pregnancy loss, and other sensitive services.

“This closes a major loophole in privacy protections for people traveling to California for abortion and gender-affirming care,” read the release.

– SB 345, introduced by District 9 Senator Nancy Skinner, protects providers and people from enforcement action in California of other states’ laws that criminalize or limit reproductive and gender-affirming health care services.

ADDRESSING THE OPIOID CRISIS

California is working to expand lifesaving treatment to communities in need in an effort to help combat the opioid crisis. AB 663, introduced by 17th District Assembly Representative Matt Haney, allows for more mobile pharmacies to be created in communities across the state and enables them to dispense treatment medications for opioid use disorder.

WORKERS’ RIGHTS

Newsom signed SB 616, introduced by Senate District 33 Representative Lena A. Gonzalez, expanding the number of sick days available to workers from 3 to 5.

INCREASING VOTER ACCESS

AB 545, introduced by 28th California Assembly District Representative Gail Pellerin, allows voters with a disability to complete a regular ballot through curbside voting, which takes outside of any polling place, and removes the requirement for a voter to declare under oath that they are unable to mark their ballot in order to receive assistance doing so.

HOLDING BIG OIL ACCOUNTABLE

SBX1-2, also introduced by state Sen. Skinner, grants the California Energy Commission new authority to penalize refineries and set a maximum gross gasoline refining margin if necessary to help combat price gouging.

“It also creates a new independent state watchdog to investigate market or price manipulation,” said Governor’s Office officials.

INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Legislation signed this year aims to speed up the process to secure permits and meet housing goals as the state continues to work to increase the amount of affordable housing available for Californians.

– SB 423, introduced by Senate District 11 Representative Scott Wiener, extends and expands existing law, requiring local governments that are failing to meet state housing planning goals to streamline affordable housing projects, which officials said will increase affordable housing throughout the state in uncooperative cities.

– SB 4, also introduced by state Sen. Wiener and known as the “Yes in God’s Backyard” bill, allows housing to be developed on property owned by religious or independent higher education institutions. These groups are given this authority “by right,” which requires no discretionary local governance intervention.

ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

To address our nation’s behavioral health crisis, Governor Office officials said Newsom signed legislation to improve health care delivery systems and make these services more accessible.

“These efforts will help tens of thousands of Californians and fill critical needs across the state, from homeless Californians with severe behavioral health issues to kids suffering from depression and everyone in between,” read a release from the Governor’s Office.

– SB 326, introduced by 5th Senate District Representative Dr. Susan Talamantes Eggman, reforms the Mental Health Services Act by making better use of Mental Health Services Act funding to address today’s needs and increasing accountability to the public.

– AB 531, introduced by Assembly District 53 Representative Jacqui Irwin, would issue $6.38 billion in bonds to fund 11,150 new behavioral health beds and housing as well as 26,700 outpatient treatment slots.

Together, these reforms will be proposed to the voters for approval on the March ballot as Proposition 1.

PUBLIC SAFETY

In September, Newsom signed SB 14, introduced by 12th Senate District Representative Shannon Grove, to steepen penalties for human trafficking of minors in California. The law designates human trafficking of a minor for purposes of a commercial sex act as a serious felony.

STREAMLINING THE UC TRANSFER PROCESS

AB 1291, introduced by 6th District Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, establishes the University of California Associate Degree for Transfer Pilot Program, beginning with UCLA, to prioritize admission of a student who earns an associate degree for transfer (ADT) from selected community colleges and to redirect a student who meets those requirements but is denied admission to the applicable campus and offer admission to at least one other campus.

Expanding ADTs to the UC system allows qualified community college transfer students to fulfill the requirements of an ADT and meet the requirements for participating UC and CSU campuses, streamlining the transfer process and saving students money by being able to earn two degrees in four years, according to Governor’s Office officials.