As your State Assemblymember, one of my top priorities is making sure you are informed about the laws coming out of Sacramento — especially when those laws will directly impact your family, your job, and your cost of living.
Beginning January 1, 2026 — with additional laws taking effect July 1, 2026 — nearly 800 new state laws approved by the Legislature and Governor will go into effect across California.
Unfortunately, many of these new laws reflect everything that is wrong with Sacramento today: policies that increase costs, weaken public safety, hinder job creation, and prioritize ideology over common sense.
While families across our district struggle to pay their bills, Sacramento politicians continue to push policies that make life more expensive and difficult for working Californians.
Below is a breakdown of what’s coming — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
THE GOOD: FEW AND FAR BETWEEN
Only a small number of responsible, common-sense bills made it through the Legislature this year.
One of the most important is AB 379, which makes it a felony to purchase 16- or 17-year-old minors for sex. This bill was initially blocked in the Assembly but ultimately passed after public pressure forced action.
Protecting children should never be controversial — and I will continue pushing to close loopholes that allow predators to escape accountability.
THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Minimum wage: Under SB 3, the minimum wage will increase to $16.90 per hour, and the salary threshold for exempt workers will rise to $70,304 per year. On top of that, many local mandates will push wages even higher depending on industry and location. While well-intended, these increases will raise the cost of living and put jobs at risk. But hey – politicians get to pretend like they care about working people!
Job-Killing Laws: A few new laws will impose costly regulations on employers, making it more expensive to create or even keep jobs in our state. Among the job-killers: AB 692 to discourage employers from investing in job training, SB 642 to force employers to show “pay equity” when hiring (e.g., no more merit or market-based pay), an increase in payroll taxes per employee because Gavin Newsom grossly mismanaged the unemployment program and allowed $30 billion in fraudulent payouts, etc.
Higher Taxes: AB 1207 extends California’s costly Cap-and-Trade program to 2046—adding up to 43 cents per gallon at the pump.
Time off for Crime Victims: CA politicians have repeatedly enacted laws to protect criminals, and the result has been a massive crime wave in our state. Instead of combating and preventing crime, CA politicians are trying to pretend to care about crime victims by passing AB 406 to let workers use paid sick leave and certain unpaid leave if the worker or a family member is a victim of a crime. How about we prevent them from becoming crime victims in the first place?
AI and Technology Laws: California is about to kill the goose trying to lay the golden egg by over-regulating technology innovation – such as AI, with bad bills like SB53.
Putting Children at Risk: AB 495 lets strangers assume custody of children without parental consent.
Putting Police at Risk: SB 627 makes it a crime for officers to wear masks to protect their identity—effectively encouraging doxing and intimidation.
Propaganda for Politicians: SB 155 creates a slush fund for Newsom to funnel millions in taxpayer money to “friendly” media outlets that praise his policies.
Taxpayer-Funded Racism: SB 518 sets up a massive new state agency to hand out taxpayer funds based solely on skin color.
Plastic Bag Ban: SB 1053 bans grocery stores from providing customers with plastic shopping bags. Expect this law to backfire with higher costs, less convenience, and WORSE outcomes for the environment – just like the last plastic bag ban bill.
There Goes the Neighborhood: SB 79 lets developers bulldoze single-family neighborhoods to build six-story apartment towers—stripping local control.
No Tax on Tips-Except in CA: While Donald Trump has eliminated the federal tax on tips, Gavin Newsom and CA Democrats killed a bill to eliminate the state tax on tips.
WHAT COMES NEXT
We do not have to accept higher costs, weaker public safety, and declining quality of life as the new normal.
I will continue fighting misguided policies, pushing back against mandates that hurt working families, and advocating for reforms that restore accountability and common sense in state government.
If you have questions about how these new laws may affect you — or if you need help navigating state agencies, permits, benefits, or regulatory issues — please contact my office. My team and I are here to serve you and advocate on your behalf.
Serving you is not just a promise — it is my responsibility, and I take it seriously every day.
