These new California laws go into effect next week

No extra new furs

One of many oldest types of clothes recognized to man could quickly be a factor of the previous in California.

Meeting Invoice 44 outlaws the manufacturing and sale of all new fur merchandise within the state. Mink coats, raccoon hats and chinchilla scarves have drastically declined in reputation over the previous few many years since being a standing image within the Nineteen Seventies, when U.S. fur gross sales topped $600 million a yr. 

The anti-fur motion went into overdrive within the Nineties when PETA launched its “I might somewhat go bare than put on fur” marketing campaign, that includes unclothed supermodels and musicians, together with Tyra Banks, Pamela Anderson and The Go-Go’s, protesting the perceived animal cruelty. 

Since then, faux fur, manufactured with plastics, has largely taken over the American market. After citywide bans had been carried out in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood, California now turns into the primary within the nation to implement a statewide ban. The legislation doesn’t apply to used fur merchandise. 

New guidelines for renegade pedestrians

Crossing the road outdoors of designated crosswalks — against the law that the majority Californians have sooner or later probably dedicated — simply turned much less dangerous.

The Freedom to Stroll Act, which might be carried out in California on Jan. 1, does not technically legalize jaywalking, however it does state that cops mustn’t ticket rogue walkers except the motion creates an “fast hazard of a collision.”

A earlier iteration of the legislation was vetoed by Newsom in 2021 on account of security issues.

Jaywalking was initially against the law lobbied for by the automotive business, and is seen by some as a legislation that unfairly targets folks primarily based on race and financial standing. The historical past of the legislation is extra difficult than it might appear: Learn our deep dive into its nuances.

Loitering

The controversial invoice that bans arrests for “loitering with the intent of prostitution” confronted important criticism on either side of the aisle within the state Senate earlier than Newsom finally signed it into legislation in July. 

The Safer Streets for All Act, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, stops in need of decriminalizing intercourse work, however as a substitute repeals loitering offenses that advocates say focused LGBTQ folks and folks of coloration. Critics have argued that the legislation will make it more durable for authorities to assist forestall weak folks from being intercourse trafficked. 

“To be clear, this invoice doesn’t legalize prostitution,” Newsom stated after signing the invoice. “It merely revokes provisions of the legislation which have led to disproportionate harassment of girls and transgender adults. Black and Latino girls are notably affected.”

‘Pink tax’ ban

Have you ever ever seen that shampoo aimed toward males is commonly cheaper than a really comparable product aimed toward girls, or pink razors are likely to price greater than black ones?

It has been estimated that ladies pay a staggering $188,000 greater than males on comparable merchandise by way of their lifetime. That discriminatory phenomenon, often known as the “pink tax,” is the goal of a brand new California legislation being carried out in 2023. 

Meeting Invoice 1287 states {that a} “individual, agency, partnership, firm, company, or enterprise shall not cost a special value for any two items which are considerably comparable if these items are priced otherwise primarily based on the gender of the people for whom the products are marketed and meant.”

California provides new state holidays

Californians have a variety of new holidays on the calendar.

Meeting Invoice 2956 formally made Lunar New 12 months a state vacation. Staff can use “eight hours of trip, annual go away, or compensating time without work in lieu of receiving eight hours of private vacation credit score” to have a good time the day. In 2023, the Lunar New 12 months falls on Jan. 22.

“Recognizing this present day as a state vacation acknowledges the variety and cultural significance Asian Individuals deliver to California,” Gov. Gavin Newsom stated in a press release, “and gives a chance for all Californians to take part within the significance of the Lunar New 12 months.”

Staff may select to take off Genocide Remembrance Day​ (April 24), Juneteenth (June 19) or Native American Day (Sept. 22).

Police use of rape kits will change

After a high-profile scandal inside the San Francisco Police Division, guidelines round rape kits have gotten extra restrictive in California.

People who report being sexually assaulted could give permission for a bodily examination, also known as a “rape equipment.” The examination could embrace taking organic samples from wounds, bodily fluids or fingernail scrapings; from these samples, a DNA profile can probably provide a match to the rapist. A DNA profile can be created for the sufferer.

In February, then-San Francisco District Legal professional Chesa Boudin alleged SFPD was utilizing victims’ DNA from the kits to supply proof in opposition to rape victims in different circumstances. Boudin claimed in no less than one occasion, DNA from a lady’s rape equipment was used to determine her as a suspect in an unrelated property crime.

The brand new state legislation means proof from rape kits can solely be used to determine the perpetrator of the sexual assault; police departments can not retain the sufferer’s DNA.

“It’s already laborious sufficient for sexual assault survivors to make the choice to return ahead, report against the law, and bear an invasive rape equipment examination on the hospital,” state Sen. Scott Wiener, who launched the invoice, stated in a press release. “The very last thing we’d like is to ship a message to survivors that if they arrive ahead, their DNA pattern could also be used in opposition to them sooner or later.”

California minimal wage goes up

In 2016, then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 3 into legislation, making California the primary state within the nation to set a roadmap towards a $15 minimal wage. Again then, the minimal wage was $10, and the legislation mandated small will increase annually till California hit $15 per hour in 2022.

The state hit that benchmark final yr, so efficient Jan. 1, 2023, the California minimal wage might be $15.50 per hour. Many Bay Space counties have already got greater minimal wages, nonetheless, together with San Francisco at almost $17 per hour.

Employers should disclose wage ranges

No extra dancing round compensation questions throughout job interviews: California now requires most employers to reveal pay scales upfront.

The brand new legislation requires all workplaces with 15 or extra staff to incorporate a wage vary in job postings. Which means postings on LinkedIn and different job boards will embrace the approximate wage for every itemizing. As well as, employers with 100 or extra staff should submit sure knowledge to the state, together with salaries of staff and contractors damaged down by gender, race and ethnicity.

Limiting the usage of tune lyrics in courtroom

Considered one of California’s most shocking new legal guidelines regulates how musical lyrics, notably from rap songs, can be utilized in prison courtroom.

The legislation requires judges to judge inventive works submitted by the prosecution into proof, together with tune lyrics, films and literature. Its passage got here within the aftermath of Atlanta rapper Younger Thug having his tune lyrics cited by prosecutors in his racketeering indictment. The rapper’s attorneys argued his inventive persona was not proof of criminality. 

California judges should now determine whether or not inventive materials is related to the prison prices, or if it could “explicitly or implicitly inject racial bias into the proceedings.” If prosecutors can’t show the fabric is extra than simply inventive expression, it can’t be used as proof.

“Artists of all types ought to be capable of create with out the worry of unfair and prejudicial prosecution,” Newsom stated in a press release. “California’s tradition and leisure business set developments around the globe and it’s becoming that our state is taking a nation-leading function to guard inventive expression and be certain that artists are usually not criminalized underneath biased insurance policies.”