With the new year approaching, new California State laws will go into effect starting January 1st. Here are a few that you may need to know!
Wildfires : SB332
The existing law prohibits a person from setting fire or causing fire to be set to any forest, brush, or other flammable material that is on any land that is not the person's own. This had hampered efforts to clear overgrowth that fueled so many of the runaway wildfires in California over the last few years.
This new bill reduces the liability of those who are doing prescribed control burns for the purpose of wildland fire hazard reduction in the hopes it will encourage more people to get that dry fuel cleared up ahead of fire season.
Minimum Wage : SB3
This will require the minimum wage for all industries to rise to $15 on Jan. 1, 2022, for employers employing 26 or more employees and $14 for employers employing 25 or fewer employees.
Cocktails-to-go SB 389
Getting cocktails and wine to go with your dinner order was something new and became a popular during the pandemic. This bill allows restaurants to continue doing so until Dec. 31, 2026. BUT, the delivery of cocktails ends Dec. 31, 2021.
Traffic Safety: AB43
This bill will now authorize local authorities to reduce speed limits in consideration of the safety of vulnerable pedestrian groups such as cyclists and pedestrians. Previously, speed limits were based on what speed drivers felt comfortable.
Mental Health: SB221
This new bill will provide timely access standards for health care service plans and insurers for non-emergency health care services.
Additionally, starting July 1, 2022, a health care service plan and a health insurer, including a Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan, must ensure that a patient that is undergoing a course of treatment for an ongoing mental health or substance use disorder condition is able to get a follow-up appointment with a non-physician mental health care or substance use disorder provider within 10 business days of their last appointment.