New CA State Laws in 2019

A new year means that new laws in the state of California have kicked in which could affect people in the Salinas Valley in 2019. Governor Jerry Brown signed thousands of bills into law over the course of his time in office and will leave his post as Governor on January 7, 2019. Some of the laws that went into effect on Tuesday, January 1 are as follows:

Assembly Bill 1066 mandates that agricultural workers will receive an overtime payment in their salaries. This regulation will slowly increase the wages for extra hours for agricultural employees over a period of four years. Changes begin on Jan. 1, 2019 for employers who hire more than 25 employees.

As part of Senate Bill 3, the minimum wage has increased to $11 an hour for those who work at a company with 25 employees or less. For those who work for businesses that employ 26 or more people, minimum wage will be $12 an hour. It's all part of a gradual increase in wages that will help California reach its goal of a $15 an hour minimum wage for all employees by the year 2023.
Plastic Straw Ban

Assembly Bill 1884 limits restaurants statewide to giving out single-use straws only upon request of customers. It applies to full-service dining establishments but exempts fast food restaurants. Restaurants violating the law could be fined $25 daily for violations, or a maximum of $300 per year.

Senate Bill 1192 mandates that child meals in restaurants that come with a drink have a "healthy" beverage as the drink default option, such as milk, water, sparkling water or flavored water with no added natural or artificial sweeteners.

Senate Bill 946 protects the activity of street vendors in the state and allows them to sell on the streets. However, under this measure, local authorities will have the power to establish regulations based on aspects of health, safety and public welfare.

Assembly Bill 485 prohibits the sale of breeding dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores and requires that these animals be obtained from animal shelters or rescue groups.

Senate Bill 1046 requires Californians found guilty of driving under the influence to temporarily install breathalyzers in their vehicles to get their driver’s licenses back. The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2019.