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New California laws you need to know in 2025

December 28, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

Laws permitting cannabis cafes and outdoor drinking are some of the nearly 1,000 laws set to impact Californians in 2025. These are also laws to ban book bans, ban parking near crosswalks and ban forever chemicals in clothing.

Cannabis cafes with food and entertainment

Licensed cannabis lounges in California can sell food and offer ticketed events such as comedy shows and concerts. The plan is to allow cannabis cafes where people can smoke marijuana while also purchasing food and beverages.

Drinking alcohol on public streets, when approved

Local governments can designate “entertainment zones,” where like in New Orleans establishments can sell alcoholic beverages for people to drink on public streets and sidewalks.

Employers can no longer ask to see your driver’s license

Unless you’re looking for a job that requires driving, prospective employers can no longer ask to see your driver’s license.

Another increase in California’s minimum wage

California’s minimum wage is increasing from $16 an hour to $16.50 an hour.

Ban on parking near a crosswalk, for safety

California now bans drivers from parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk or 15 feet in places with curb extensions. In some large cities, this new law is slated to remove thousands of parking spots.

Ban on book bans

At public libraries, the Freedom to Read Act prohibits banning books because of the race, nationality, politics, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, economic or social class of a book’s subject, author or intended audience.

Bans on forever chemicals in clothing, cosmetics

Though many of us did not know, there are dozens harmful chemicals in clothing and cosmetics sold in California. Multiple new laws ban more than two dozen harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and mercury in clothing and cosmetics.

No more medical debt on credit reports

Credit report companies can no longer include medical debt on your credit report. Lawmakers determined medical bills are not something people can control.

 


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Great! Now Harris can watch a comedy show and laugh too.


-5

A ban on book bans? I’m not in favor of censorship, but a ban on a ban seems like a phrase out of 1984.


The number of new laws each year are not the result of a “need” but instead a result of full time legislators needing to demonstrate why California can’t survive with a part-time citizen legislature that holds its legislative session every two years.


17

I worked my way up to minimum wage at 16 years old and kept moving up until I went into business for my self and my hourly rate plummeted.


9

You can always use a few more laws. lol


6

How about for every law they pass they have to.repeal 10? Perhaps some thought would go into the process and we wouldn’t break the law 15 times just by crossing a street.


32

Newsom legalized jaywalking…


7

“Another” increase to minimum wage!?! Oh by heavens! By golly what will they even do with that entire extra $67 dollars a month?!? This is going to DESTROY the economy and now I need to raise the rent on my multiple rental homes immediately by 20%!!!


…sarcasm fyi to anyone heartless enough to think that way. Paltry crumbs of crumbs “trickling down” here; what year is this? You try living on $2000 a month after taxes and health insurance! $1200 rent, $50 phone, $50 internet, $600 food, $75 car insurance, $75 gas…. oh wait, oops, out of money. Food is high you say? $20 a day every day is low if you’re eating out, barely high if you’re meal prepping. Call it $300 a month on food (and drink btw) somehow spending $10 a day. That leaves $250 “extra” per month SCRAPING by with zero life or future. Expecting great service were you? Hoping to avoid an uprising were you? Too bad.


-51

Is it lack of ambition that is keeping you pinned down in the minumum wage bracket, or is it something we can help you with?


25

Absolutely you can help! Avg tuition for in state college attendance is 10k per year; pony up! Or did you expect me to cover that with the extra $250 a month I save by not having any entertainment whatsoever and driving a paid off used car? Oh, right; I’m supposed to go into debt with a student loan that raises my monthly expenses even more… You’re totally right; clearly a lack of ambition… Or has it reached a point where it’s pretty much impossible for the avg person to escape starting out being poor? INCOME INEQUALITY IS REAL!


-27

Ask Adam Trask for $. A while back on here he mentioned that he was the recipient of generational wealth and I think you and he might see eye to eye ideologically.


7

Glad to help. A quick wikipedia query tells me that the U of Cal system is funded 13% by tuition fees. So, everyone other than you is already paying 87% of your college education. Please please please don’t select a major like Women’s Interpretive Dance and then continue to lament that you can’t break out of the minimum wage trap.


16

The guy who says ambition dictates the free market, LOL.


-9

Everything you’re saying is true for Social Security recipients, the difference being,most of them can no longer work. Able bodied younger folks can learn a trade,go back to school,better their income. My grand daughter worked full time,went to school,and became a registered nurse.Both my kids started businesses and are quite successful.


23

Wow…just, wow. Comparing your generation to mine is comparing apples and oranges. Did your rent cost 50+% of your income? No. Would a new car cost 20-30%? No. Was internet or cell phone bills a thing back then? No. Was health insurance and car insurance required and a good 10-15% of your income? No. Was housing actually affordable? Yes. Could one persons income feed a family of five? Yes. Was college a path to success back then? Yes. Etc etc etc. Previous generations had it EASY! But are they giving back? NO.


-8

The only point in my life that I took a minimum wage job, was the horrific 4 hours I worked at McDonald’s on Foothill, in SLO.


Without any college, I retired at 52, drawing a higher monthly income, than when I worked. All I worry about today, is where I ride my Harley for lunch, or drive the Miata to Santa Barbara for dinner :)


7

Enjoy it while the majority struggles around you? Good luck with that.


-13

The “majority” does not work for a minimum wage salary. The “majority” took a minimum wage job out of high school, or to supplement an income while in college. Then, the “majority” went on to acquire a job that pays their means.


Everyone struggles, some more than others. It is not my fault some do not use the means available to all, nor is it my responsibility to bolster another persons income due to their lack of incentive or ethic.


I worked hard with but one goal- To take care of my family, and plan for theirs and my future. I did rather well, you can to.


15

If it’s such a small group… why not help them out? They’re only asking to be able to pay the essential bills with a decent quality of living. What’s the reason for not providing this small group even that? Make them suffer to motivate them? Because you went through it everyone else has to? Plenty of studies show positive motivation has far better results for everyone involved. Why so intent in making it harder instead? Seems cruel and unnecessary and I believe society as whole would benefit if everyone can afford a decent life. No one is asking for excess, just the basics!


-6