In the last week of September 2026, the Governor signed a cluster of laws aimed less at policy fights than at daily irritations and household choices. A signature is not an operative requirement. Under California's default rule, most of these laws take effect on January 1, 2027, unless the law itself says otherwise.
At home and on the phone
1. A human, not a bot (AB 1609, Zbur). Large businesses must make a good-faith effort to connect a customer to a human within 15 minutes of a request for human customer service, or schedule an appointment; must disclose when the representative is a chatbot; and certain large businesses must list customer-service contact information on their websites (Governor's release, September 28).
2. Quieter ads on podcasts and music streaming (SB 96). Extends California's 2025 rule on loud streaming advertisements to podcast and streaming audio advertisements, as described by the Governor's office.
3. Faster heat-pump and HVAC permits (SB 222, Wiener). Creates an automated, streamlined permitting process for standard residential heat-pump water heaters and heat-pump heating and cooling systems.
4. Parent-teacher meetings by phone or online (SB 1412). Makes remote conferences available to parents when in-person meetings are impractical.
5. Library cards for 16- and 17-year-olds (SB 965).
At work
6. No unnecessary fees for paid-leave paperwork (AB 2292). The Governor's office states that physicians can no longer charge unnecessary fees to complete forms required for paid family or medical leave.
7. Bereavement leave and "stay-or-pay" contracts. SB 1149 (Durazo) on bereavement leave and AB 1697 (Kalra) on employment contracts that require a worker to repay training or other costs on leaving were also signed.
At the table and the pharmacy counter
8. A label for food that is not ultraprocessed (AB 2244, Gabriel). Creates a voluntary "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" food standard and front-of-package label, modeled by its author on the USDA Organic seal (Governor's release, September 28).
9. Added-sugar warnings on restaurant menus (SB 869, Weber Pierson). Menus must identify drinks containing more than the recommended daily intake of added sugar.
10. A healthier children's meal (SB 977, Weber Pierson). Chain restaurants must offer at least one children's meal that meets a minimum nutrition standard.
11. No over-the-counter diet pills or weight-loss and muscle-building supplements for minors (AB 2030, Lowenthal). Bans their sale to anyone under 18. The Governor's office cites published research associating adolescent use of these products with a higher later rate of eating-disorder diagnosis.
12. Vapes and tobacco (AB 762, Irwin; AB 2667, Hadwick; SB 1124, Archuleta). Bans disposable vapes with embedded batteries, restricts vape advertising designed to resemble products marketed to minors, and, according to the Governor's office, requires lung-cancer-screening awareness signage at tobacco retailers.
Also signed on September 28: AB 1901 (Berman), requiring disclosure of intentionally added ingredients in children's diapers; AB 1731 (Wilson), a Farm to Fork program to source healthy food for public institutions; and SB 1089 (Richardson), the Preventive Treatment Health Care Act.
Money, housing and insurance
| Bill | Subject | Why a household might care |
|---|---|---|
| AB 1798 (Wilson) | Genetic testing for life and disability insurance | How insurers may use genetic test results |
| AB 2038 (Harabedian) | Home insurance cancellations and nonrenewals | Homeowners in wildfire-prone areas |
| SB 1365 (Allen) | Price gouging | Prices during declared emergencies |
| SB 1296 (Durazo) | Rental housing: pet policies | Renters with pets |
| SB 1151 (Cervantes) | Sales tax exemption for infant formula | Household costs |
| AB 2646 (Krell) | Minimum wage for agricultural workers | Central Valley farm labor |