17 New CA Laws Just Signed By Governor Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom this week signed more than a dozen bills into law, including one aimed at helping California homeowners who've faced unimaginable destruction, one aimed at helping youth find the resources they need when in a bad situation and another that's supposed to help officials crack down on illegal gambling.

Senator Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, said he introduced Assembly Bill 178 with the goal of helping California fire victims trying to rebuild their homes. Starting in 2020, California law will require those who build in the state to install solar panels; Dahle said he wanted to help these fire victims by making them exempt from this requirement.

"Thousands of Californians who have tragically lost their home due to wildfires are now facing the sad reality that costs have risen due to mandates by the state. These mandates can add upwards of $15,000 to the cost of rebuilding a home," said Dahle. "Losing a home in a catastrophic fire is traumatic enough and worrying about complying with this new mandate is added, unnecessary stress. This is a small exemption that will allow people to rebuild their home without this additional costly mandate which has nothing to do with structural safety."

Gov. Newsom said he hopes the solar exemption "hastens" the rebuild process. The exemption is temporary, and ends in 2023.

"Many of our communities in California that have been devastated by catastrophic wildfires and floods, particularly the people of Paradise, are desperate to get their lives back on track and to rebuild their homes," he said in his signing message.

Another new law, AB 1294, was introduced by Assemblymember Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, and is focused on gambling.

"This bill strengthens the ability of the California Department of Justice and other local law enforcement agencies to go after the bank accounts and assets of international gangs and organized criminals who are convicted of operating illegal gambling sites," his office said in a news release.

Meanwhile, SB 316 is a less complex law. Introduced by Senator Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, will require California schools that issued student identification cards to have printed on them the telephone number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Schools are already required to include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

In addition to the above bills, Newsom took action on the following legislation (click on the link to read the full bill text):

• AB 178 by Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) – Energy: building standards: photovoltaic requirements. A signing message can be found here.
• AB 309 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) – Vehicles that appear to be used by law enforcement: ownership or operation by public historical society or museum.
• AB 419 by the Committee on Agriculture – Food and agriculture.
• AB 504 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) – Voter registration: residency confirmation.
• AB 653 by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) – State armories.
• AB 707 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) – Santa Clara Valley Water District: contracts.
• AB 809 by Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) – Public postsecondary education: child development programs: priority enrollment: Title IX protection: pregnancy and parental status.
• AB 949 by Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside) – Unsafe used tires: installation.
• AB 1018 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) – Real estate appraisers.
• AB 1294 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) – Criminal profiteering.
• AB 1515 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) – Planning and zoning: community plans: review under the California Environmental Quality Act.
• SB 316 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Pupil and student safety: identification cards: domestic violence hotline telephone number.
• SB 400 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Reduction of greenhouse gases emissions: mobility options.
• SB 496 by Senator John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) – Financial abuse of elder or dependent adults.
• SB 527 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) – Local government: Williamson Act: cultivation of cannabis and hemp.
• SB 570 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Insurance: low-cost automobile insurance program.
• SB 743 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) – School facilities: design-build projects.