For many California residents, life is about to change starting Monday.
That’s when several new state laws take effect.
They range from a gun tax and a ban on hidden business fees to updated rules on electronic device repairs, security deposits and school suspensions.
Below is an overview of seven new California laws and how they work:
AB 12 limits security deposits for tenants
Under Assembly Bill 12, tenants can no longer be required to pay a security deposit greater than one month’s rent.
According to California courts, a security deposit is an amount of money that a landlord holds to cover potential damages, cleaning fees, or unpaid rent if the tenant breaks the lease.
The new law prevents most landlords from charging tenants two to three times the monthly rent as a security deposit.
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AB 28: New tax on weapons and ammunition
Assembly Bill 28 — also known as the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act — requires manufacturers, sellers and dealers to pay an 11% tax on firearms and ammunition to fund violence prevention efforts.
That’s in addition to the 10% to 11% federal tax that gun and ammunition sellers already pay to fund conservation efforts.
It is one of several new laws aimed at gun control, including limiting concealed weapons in public and requiring financial institutions to track firearm sales.
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AB 1013: Bars and nightclubs must carry test kits for date rape drugs
About 2,400 bars and nightclubs in California will be required to test customers for date rape drugs, under Assembly Bill 1013.
The law requires bars and nightclubs that serve alcohol to post signage and offer free drug testing kits or sell them for a “reasonable amount based on wholesale cost.”
AB 1013 is intended to help “protect individuals from being unknowingly drugged or becoming victims of other crimes that often result,” according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
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SB 244: The Right to Repair Act Makes It Easier to Repair Electronics
Senate Bill 244 requires electronics and appliance manufacturers to provide parts, tools, and service literature to both product owners and independent repair shops.
The new law, also known as the Right to Repair Act, covers electronic products and devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones and various home appliances.
However, SB 244 does not cover equipment used in certain industries and limits repairs to video game consoles and alarm systems.
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SB 274: Students cannot be suspended for ‘willful resistance’
From Monday, school boards will no longer be allowed to suspend students for low-level behavior, also known as ‘deliberate disobedience’.
Under California education law, willful disobedience includes violating the dress code, being late to class, talking back to teachers and refusing to turn off cell phones.
Senate Bill 274 bans intentional suspensions and expulsions in California high schools through 2029. It also extends an existing ban on intentional defiance-based suspensions in California high schools.
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SB 478: No more hidden fees at restaurants and stores
Senate Bill 478 would ban so-called “junk” taxes on purchases across California.
The law aims to ban ‘drip pricing’, which means that the price consumers see is lower than what they ultimately pay for a product or service in the final phase of the purchasing process.
Now that SB 478 is in effect, you’ll know exactly how much you’re paying and what you’re paying for when it comes time to pay your total.
The law no longer applies to additional hidden fees associated with surcharges at restaurants after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1524 into law on Saturday, creating an exception for restaurants if those fees are “clearly and conspicuously” displayed on menus.
These costs range from additional gratuities to keep the pay of wait and kitchen staff equal, to municipal health fees and corkage fees for guests who bring their own bottles of wine to dinner.
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SB 553: Employees receive training to prevent workplace violence
Senate Bill 553 aims to improve workplace safety in the state.
The new law requires employers to develop workplace violence prevention plans, train employees and managers on these safety plans, and keep track of incidents.
Workplace violence ranges from “threats and verbal abuse to physical violence and even murder,” according to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “It can affect and involve employees, customers, clients and visitors.”
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