California lawmakers passed more than 900 laws signed by Gov. Jerry Brown during the 2014 legislative session that ended Aug. 31. Here’s a look at a few of the more impactive measures, and the subjects they affect, that have gone into effect (or will) in 2015:
Transportation and natural resources
Immigrant driver licenses (AB 60) — The DMV must issue driver licenses to undocumented immigrants who meet every other qualification and pass required driving tests. About 1.4 million people without U.S. citizenship are expected to apply for the licenses in the first three years.
Health and public safety
Yes means yes (SB 967) – To receive state funding, colleges and universities must consider sexual behavior on campus consensual only if both parties actively agree to it and are not incapacitated, throwing out the old refrain “no means no” and replacing it with “yes means yes.” California becomes the first state in the nation to use this rubric for sexual consent. Groundwater management (SB 1168, 1739, 1319) – This is a sweeping set of groundwater regulations that require local water agencies to manage how much water is drawn from wells, making California the last Western state to end “pump-as-you-please” rules during a severe drought.
Plastic bag ban (SB 270) – Grocery stores across California must follow the lead of cities like Los Angeles and stop bagging items in single-use plastic bags and allowing them to charge 10 cents for paper bags. This, the first statewide plastic bag ban in the nation is scheduled to take effect July 1.
Audrie’s Law (SB 838) — Teenagers convicted of sexually assaulting someone who is unconscious or can’t give consent will face stiffer punishments, including mandatory sexual-offender treatment. The bill is named for Audrie Pott, a California teenager who committed suicide after photos of her sexual assault surfaced.
Selfie revenge porn rights (SB 1255) – This expands a law that makes it a misdemeanor to distribute a naked picture of someone, often in an act of revenge, even if the photo was originally taken by the naked person.
Sex abuse rights (SB 926) – Children who claim they’re victims of a sex crime have until their 40th birthday to file charges, up from their 28th birthday. (This applies only to crimes committed on or after Jan. 1, 2015.)
Mandatory sick leave (AB 1522) — Starting July 1, anyone who works for 30 days is eligible to accrue sick pay under this law, known as the “Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act.” About 6.5 million workers are estimated to be affected by the law.
Firearms and lifestyles
Massage parlor oversight (AB 1147) – Local governments get greater oversight of massage parlors, which have been used as fronts for sex trafficking.
Gun owner welfare check (SB 505) – This requires law enforcement agencies to encourage their officers to consult with gun ownership records when conducting welfare checks, something agents didn’t do before Isla Vista shooter Elliott Rodger killed six people in May.
Legislations passed by State Sen. Marty Block that took effect Jan. 1 includes:
Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) staff training and protection (SB 911) – Protects seniors living in RCFEs by increasing requirements for administrators and prohibiting retaliation against employees who call 911 when residents need urgent care.
Water quality testing (SB 1395) – This authorizes counties to use quicker tests to determine beach water quality if they comply with federal Environmental Protection Agency guidance. Quicker notification to California’s 238 million beachgoers will assist in protecting public health. Other bills include mandatory reporting to OSHA (AB 326), requiring an employer’s immediate report of a severe injury, illness or death to the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health; prevention of abusive conduct (an expansion on 2004’s AB 1825), requiring that existing sexual harassment training include training on all types of abuse; and the elimination of California waiting periods (SB 1034), which prohibits group or HAMO health insurance contracts from imposing waiting periods on individuals.
