As California enters 2026, hundreds of new laws are taking effect on January 1, bringing significant changes to everything from grocery shopping and food delivery to workplace rights and healthcare costs.
Here are the 12 most impactful new laws and how they will affect your daily life:
1. Total Ban on Plastic Shopping Bags (SB 1053)
The previous “loophole” that allowed stores to sell thicker, “reusable” plastic bags for 10 cents is officially closed.
- The Impact: Grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores can no longer offer plastic bags of any kind. Shoppers must bring their own reusable totes or pay for recycled paper bags.
2. State Minimum Wage Increase
California’s statewide minimum wage rises to $16.90 per hour for all employers, regardless of size.
- The Impact: This increases pay for hundreds of thousands of low-wage workers and raises the minimum annual salary for “exempt” employees to $70,304.
3. Full Refunds for Food Delivery (AB 578)
Consumer protection reaches the gig economy with new requirements for apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub.
- The Impact: Platforms must provide full refunds to the original payment method (not just app credit) if an order is late, incorrect, or never delivered. They must also provide human customer service if automated bots fail to resolve an issue.
4. Mandatory Renters’ Appliances (AB 628)
For the first time, California law standardizes what “habitable” means regarding kitchen essentials.
- The Impact: Landlords must provide and maintain a working stove and refrigerator in all new rental units. Tenants no longer have to supply these themselves unless explicitly agreed upon in the lease.
5. Insulin Price Cap (SB 40)
California is moving to drastically lower the cost of life-saving diabetes medication.
- The Impact: For state-regulated health plans, out-of-pocket costs for a 30-day supply of insulin are now capped at $35. Additionally, the state’s own “CalRx” label will begin selling insulin for approximately $11 per pen.
6. Ban on Cat Declawing (AB 867)
California becomes one of the first states to ban the practice of declawing cats for non-medical reasons.
- The Impact: Veterinarians are prohibited from declawing cats purely to prevent furniture scratching. The procedure is only allowed if medically necessary to treat an injury or illness.
7. Ban on “Stay or Pay” Contracts (AB 692)
New labor protections target contracts that trap employees in their jobs.
- The Impact: Employers are generally prohibited from requiring workers to repay training or relocation costs if they leave their job before a certain date.
8. Overdraft Fee Limits (SB 1075)
State-chartered credit unions face new restrictions on how much they can charge for mistakes.
- The Impact: Credit unions are now prohibited from charging more than $14 for an overdraft or non-sufficient funds fee.
9. AI Transparency and Chatbot Disclosures (SB 243)
California is leading the nation in regulating how businesses use artificial intelligence.
- The Impact: Companies operating AI chatbots must clearly disclose to users that they are interacting with a machine. Chatbots must also have safety protocols to provide resources if they detect signs of self-harm or suicidal ideation in a user.
10. “Safe Haven” Schools Act (AB 49)
New protections aim to keep K-12 campuses focused on education rather than enforcement.
- The Impact: Federal immigration agents are barred from entering non-public school areas without a judicial warrant. Schools are also prohibited from sharing student immigration status without a court order.
11. Parking Ticket Hardship Waivers (AB 1299)
Local governments must now accommodate residents who truly cannot afford parking fines.
- The Impact: Agencies are authorized to waive or reduce parking fines for individuals who demonstrate financial hardship or homelessness and must offer payment plans upon request.
12. Folic Acid in Tortillas (AB 1830)
A public health initiative targets nutrition in staple foods.
- The Impact: Most store-bought corn tortillas and masa products must now be fortified with folic acid to help prevent birth defects. Small “mom-and-pop” businesses and fresh masa made on-site are exempt.
While the fortification of corn masa with folic acid is a significant public health initiative aimed at reducing neural tube defects, it has also sparked several health and culinary concerns.
Downsides of adding Folic Acid to tortillas
The following are the primary downsides and controversies associated with adding folic acid to tortillas:
1. Masking Vitamin B12 Deficiency
One of the most established medical concerns is that high intake of folic acid can “mask” the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency.
- The Risk: Both deficiencies cause a type of anemia that physicians use for diagnosis. High folic acid can cure the anemia without fixing the B12 deficiency, potentially allowing irreversible nerve and brain damage to progress undetected.
- Vulnerable Groups: This is a particular concern for the elderly, who are at a higher risk for B12 malabsorption.
2. Potential Taste and Texture Changes
There are reports that adding folic acid, which is a synthetic form of folate, can subtly alter the traditional flavor profile of tortillas.
- Bitter Flavor: Folic acid supplements can have a strong bitter taste.
- Taste Tests: In blind taste tests, experts have noted that fortified tortillas can lose some of the “earthiness” and “tinge of sourness” characteristic of pure corn tortillas.
3. Genetic Processing Issues (MTHFR Variant)
A significant portion of the population (estimated at 40-50%) has a genetic mutation known as MTHFR that makes it difficult for their bodies to process synthetic folic acid.
- Unmetabolized Folic Acid (UMFA): For these individuals, synthetic folic acid can build up in the bloodstream as unmetabolized folic acid, which some researchers link to altered immune responses or cognitive issues, though evidence is still evolving.
4. Long-Term Health Debates
While results are inconclusive, some studies have raised questions about high doses of folic acid over long periods:
- Cancer Risks: Some research suggests that while folate protects healthy cells, excess folic acid might speed up the progression of existing pre-cancerous lesions, particularly colorectal or prostate cancer.
- Offspring Health: Some studies have looked into whether very high maternal folate levels could be linked to increased risks of autism or insulin resistance in children, though the CDC maintains that recommended levels are safe.
5. Interference with Medications
High levels of folic acid can interfere with the effectiveness of certain “antifolate” drugs, such as methotrexate, which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers.