In the year 2024, Governor Newsom has signed 125 new laws as of July 15, most of which will take effect on January 1 of the following year. Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and Acting Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire also signed four new laws on behalf of Newsom. In 2023, the Governor signed a total of 890 proposals into law.
Between June and July, the Governor signed approximately 18 bills related to the state budget, covering areas such as Human Services, Developmental Services, housing, public safety, employment, transportation, education, health, taxes, and state government budget.
On June 22, an agreement was reached between the Governor and both houses of the legislature on the budget, with total spending for the 2024-25 fiscal year amounting to $297.9 billion, of which $211.5 billion comes from the general fund. The agreement includes extracting $5.1 billion from the rainy day fund for the 2024-25 fiscal year and $7.1 billion for the following year to balance the budget.
In accordance with Proposition 98 passed in 1988, approximately 40% of the state budget funds must be allocated for K-12 education, with an annual slight increase in education funding even during economic downturns. However, SB154 temporarily suspends the enforcement of this requirement.
There are around eight new laws related to taxation. Included in the 2024-25 budget revenue enhancement bill SB167, new provisions have been made for corporate and individual taxes and tax credits. SB1172 and AB2689 extend for seven years the donation options on California individual income tax returns for breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease research, respectively.
SB948 and AB2001 are amendments to the Political Reform Act enacted in 1974. SB948 allows candidates to use donations from primaries and general elections for different positions and permits primary winners to use contributions for subsequent elections. AB2001 mandates local governments to publish campaign finance files within 72 hours after the filing deadline, with Assemblymember James Gallagher stating that “timely and accurate online disclosure plays a critical role in enhancing transparency in local elections.”
There are approximately 12 new laws focusing on education. AB1955, introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward from District 78, has drawn attention and controversy for requiring the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide resources and develop policies to support transgender students and their families; prohibiting retaliation or adverse actions against employees who support transgender students, and forbidding employees or contractors from disclosing gender-related information to any other individual without the student’s consent.
The law also prohibits school districts, boards of trustees, charter schools, or institutions from adopting or implementing any policies or regulations disclosing student gender; AB1955 will become effective in January next year, with any policies or regulations inconsistent with it deemed void.
AB2179, proposed by Assemblymember Laurie Davies of District 74, requires school districts to provide apprenticeship-related programs to parents or guardians of 11th and 12th-grade high school students on an annual basis. AB2429, introduced by Assemblymember David Alvarez of District 80, mandates health education for high school graduation starting from the 2026-27 school year to include teachings on fentanyl, tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, and other harmful substances.
AB2927, presented by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, requires all high school students to undergo a semester of personal finance classes starting from the 2027-28 school year, with it becoming a mandatory course for high school graduation from the 2030-31 school year onward. The Governor remarked, “We need to help young people prepare for the future as early as possible. Saving, investing, and wise consumption should be lifelong skills learned before the start of their careers, not afterwards.”
Introduced by Senator Roger Niello of District 6, SB1127 authorizes trustees to terminate trusts when the fair market value of the trust principal does not exceed $100,000, without requiring court approval, to reduce trust costs. Currently, 34 states in the US have this upper limit set at $100,000.
Among the new laws related to the correctional system, AB628 abolishes the current state law requiring all able-bodied inmates to work daily, replacing it with a voluntary work program for inmates. AB1875 mandates that as of January 1, 2028, prisons and county jails should sell shampoo, conditioner, hair cream, and gel without sulfates in their outlets, with profits going to the prison welfare fund.
AB2232, proposed by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein of District 76, requires at least one pet-friendly warming center to be set up in feasible locations when updating county emergency plans. According to the World Population Review, over 57% of households in California have at least one pet, with 40% owning dogs, nearly 23% owning cats, and 97% of pet owners considering pets as family members.
AB1916 amends the Self-Service Storage Facility Act, specifying requirements for disposal of abandoned property and updating agreements upon the end of lease agreements. Owners of self-service storage facilities must send notices to lessees informing them to collect their property on time to avoid it being sold, kept, or discarded.
Both AB2288 and SB92 are amendments to the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) enacted in 2004, aiming to enhance worker protection, encourage employer compliance, simplify litigation procedures, avoid disputed votes, and impose new and higher penalties on employers engaged in malicious, deceitful, or coercive violations of the California Labor Code, ensuring that more fines are distributed to employees.
Additionally, AB375 requires disclosure of the identity of drivers delivering food, AB2345 concerns short-term intern permits, and AB1941 authorizes sheriff unions to charge reasonable fees to non-union members for representation in disciplinary, grievance, arbitration, or administrative hearings.
These regulations are not statewide. AB2393 pertains to the operation and leasing of tidal and submerged lands, SB1169 relates to the financial aspects of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, and AB1924 addresses transportation in Sacramento.
AB2536, the Vehicle Registration Fee Act, introduced by Assemblymember Josh Hoover of District 7, permits counties to levy nominal fees on vehicle registration (mostly ranging from $1-2 per vehicle) to combat motor vehicle theft, and revises the definition of “vehicle theft crime” to include offenses such as vehicle theft, unlawful taking of vehicles, burglary of vehicles, and theft of vehicle parts or components (e.g., catalytic converters). There were over 64,000 incidents of catalytic converter theft nationwide between 2020 and 2022, with California accounting for 24,102 cases. The California Insurance Council reported an average of 183 insurance claims for catalytic converter thefts per month in 2020, increasing to 477 in January 2022.
Hoover stated, “California is experiencing a surge in vehicle thefts, and AB2536 allows counties to utilize millions from vehicle registration fees to address the rising crime rates.” Currently, 46 out of 58 counties have approved a $1 vehicle registration fee surcharge to help combat the issue.
Governor Newsom vetoed SB301, which sought to allocate funds from the state budget or other resources to provide a one-time subsidy of up to $4,000 for residents who switch to electric zero-emission vehicles, including used cars, but with a range exceeding 100 miles.
AB2570 requires an annual report on the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program. From 2019 to 2024, the program received $3.95 billion in funding. In his veto message, the Governor noted that the bill was redundant, created unnecessary workload, and did not contribute to accountability and transparency.
The Governor’s veto message for AB2708 echoed similar sentiments. The bill aimed to enhance regulation of the California Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure (MMBI) program, requiring annual reports on related costs and expected completion dates. In 2021, California passed a $6 billion broadband infrastructure investment, with the California Department of Technology (CDT) subsequently significantly increasing the investment scale and costs to over $20 billion.