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New laws speed ballot counts, ban plastic bags

Hundreds of new state laws took effect Jan. 1, including protections against AI chat bots, a new minimum wage and capped insulin copays.

Francisco Martinez
By FRANCISCO MARTINEZ · 1 min read

Hundreds of new California laws took effect Jan. 1, including protections against artificial-intelligence chatbots, faster election-count turnarounds, automatic admission to many California State University campuses for high-school seniors who meet minimum requirements and expanded coverage for in vitro fertilization.

The new laws also increase the minimum wage, strengthen equal-pay enforcement, ban single-use plastic bags at grocery stores, cap insurance copays for insulin and change how food-delivery platforms handle refunds, tips and customer service.

Check out the print or digital edition for a look at some of the new laws.

Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.

A version of this story appeared in the Jan. 14, 2026, print edition of The Ark. See something wrong? Request a correction.
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