New laws will take effect in California on Jan. 1 that can change hiring practices and the way we shop for groceries, cars and food on online platforms.
Many new laws will affect Californians daily, while some will apply to specific fields or situations. Renters, shoppers, employers and employees should also look out for new rules that could save them money.
Some laws will take effect on Jan. 1 while others may be implemented on July 1, or even later in the year.
Here’s a look at new laws to be aware of in 2026.
The bill has made it illegal for employment contracts to require employees who leave to pay back the employer, trainer or debt collector for paid training.
The new rule keeps employers from stipulating that employees would have to pay back the training provided during the employment process if they quit or decide not to go further in the employment process.
The new bill takes further the already existing plastic bag ban that replaced single-use plastic with reusable plastic bags that were available for a fee, usually 10 cents.
The ban would now apply to all plastic bags, not just single-use, meaning only recyclable paper bags or reusable totes can be used.
Food delivery services like Uber Eats, Doordash and Grubhub will have to follow some new rules in California in 2026.
It will be illegal for food delivery services to do the following:
For a full breakdown of what Californians using the food delivery service applications should look out for, you can view the bill’s text on the state legislature’s website.
The Combating Auto Retail Scams Act, or CARS, take effect on Oct. 1, 2026. The act has important information that car buyers should know, including a very important rule change that allows Californians with buyers remorse three days to return a used vehicle that was bought or leased.
The bill also requires dealers to make certain disclosures in the car buying process.
Starting Jan. 1, employers can no longer discriminate against or deny paid leave to employees who are called to attend to judicial proceedings related to a crime.
Tenants signing a lease on or after Jan. 1 are now entitled to a working stove and refrigerator provided by their landlord in their apartment, with AB 628.
The bill also outlines other essentials landlords are required to provide, including waterproofing, heating and hot water.
Some additional laws and official acts to look out for include:
Let’s not forget that Californians will also face another major change this year: a new minimum wage.
California is among the 19 states that are raising the minimum wage in the new year, according to reporting by the Arizona Republic.
Here’s the full list, with 2026 wages:
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.

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