New California Laws In 2020
By Joey Tack on December 30, 2019
There are a number of new laws going into effect in California in 2020. KCRA has a complete list here. Some of the laws you need to be aware of are:
The law raises the state minimum wage to $13 an hour for workplaces with 26 or more employees and to $12 for workplaces with fewer than 26 employees. The law outlines incremental minimum wage increases through 2023 when it will reach $15 an hour for all workplaces.
SB 142 – Protection for nursing mothers
The law requires employers to provide clean and safe lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers. Employers would have to “provide access to a sink and refrigerator in close proximity to the employee’s workspace,” the law says. It also requires the room be free of intrusion and that employers offer mothers breaks specifically for nursing.
SB 188 – Hairstyle discrimination
The law protects employees from racial discrimination because of hairstyles, such as afros, braids, twists and locks. California is the first state in the nation to ban such practices.
SB 8 – Banning smoking at state beaches
The law bans smoking at all state beaches and parks, with a fine of $25 per violator. It also makes it illegal to toss a cigarette or cigar onto a state beach.
SB 313 – Circus Cruelty Prevention Act
The law bans the use of exotic animals like elephants in circus acts. It only allows dogs, cats and domesticated horses to be part of circus performances.
The law prohibits schools, including charter schools, from suspending students for willful defiance. That means if a student is acting up in class, teachers and school officials will not be able to suspend them from school. Students can still be suspended for violence or bringing a weapon or drugs to campus. Students in grades 9 to 12 could still be suspended for willful defiance — but not expelled. The law goes into effect July 1, 2020.
The law caps rent increases at 5% each year plus inflation for the next decade. The cap does not apply to property built within the last 15 years. It also requires landlords to provide just cause for evictions.
SB 652 – Display of religious items
The law prohibits property owners from stopping the display of religious items on a door or door frame of a dwelling.
