Several new California laws take effect July 1, bringing changes that will affect students, families, drivers, and consumers across the state.
One of the biggest changes for schools comes under Assembly Bill 3216, also known as the Phone-Free School Act. By July 1, every public school district, charter school, and county office of education must have a policy in place limiting or prohibiting student smartphone use during the school day. Each district will decide exactly how the policy is enforced, but the goal is to reduce classroom distractions and improve student well-being. Exceptions are allowed for emergencies, medical needs, and other specific circumstances.
Another school-related change comes through Senate Bill 760, which requires every K-12 public, charter, and private school to provide at least one easily accessible all-gender restroom for students. Many schools can meet the requirement by converting an existing single-stall restroom and updating the signage.
Students in grades 7 through 12 will also notice a change to their school ID cards. Under Assembly Bill 727, newly issued student IDs must include contact information for suicide prevention resources, including the Trevor Project’s crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, in addition to other existing mental health resources.
At the grocery store, Assembly Bill 660 aims to reduce confusion over food expiration dates. Packaged foods will now use standardized labels such as “BEST if Used By” to indicate peak quality and “USE By” to indicate when food may no longer be safe to eat. Consumer-facing “sell by” dates are being phased out because they were intended for retailers rather than shoppers.
Dining out is also changing under Senate Bill 68, the Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences (ADDE) Act. Restaurant chains with 20 or more locations nationwide must identify menu items containing any of the nine major food allergens, helping customers with food allergies make safer choices.
Drivers of connected vehicles may also see new protections under Senate Bill 1394. The law requires automakers to provide a way for people protected by certain domestic violence restraining orders to revoke another person’s remote access to their vehicle and disable location tracking. The measure is designed to prevent connected vehicle technology from being used to stalk or monitor victims, although some automakers have said they need more time to fully comply with the law.
If you want to learn more about any of these measures, you can find the full text of the legislation by searching the California Legislature’s website for AB 3216, SB 760, AB 727, AB 660, SB 68, or SB 1394.
