These new California laws go into effect July 1. Here’s what you need to know
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On July 1, a slate of new laws goes into effect in California that will tighten regulation of the firearm industry, codify a new state holiday and seal criminal records. Here’s a brief overview of the legislation that becomes operative Saturday:
Civil suits against firearms makers
AB 1594, the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act, creates a new firearm industry standard of conduct and makes it easier for Californians to bring firearm retailers to civil court.
Firearm dealers will be required to establish and enforce practices that prevent the sale of guns to traffickers, people prohibited from firearm possession under state or federal law and people who a retailer would have reasonable cause to believe is a risk to themselves or others.
The new law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom a year ago, also prohibits the manufacturing, marketing, importing or offering for sale any gun deemed “abnormally dangerous.”
Victims of gun violence, public officials and the Attorney General can file civil lawsuits against firearm industry members for violations of the standard of conduct.
Sealing old criminal records
SB 731 will allow almost all convictions on a person’s criminal record to be permanently sealed if they’ve served all terms of incarceration and have been conviction-free for at least four years since.
Eight million Californians currently have an arrest or conviction on their record. An estimated 225,000 will have old convictions automatically sealed on July 1. One million more will be eligible to petition a judge for a seal.
The law’s proponents see it as a way to help people with criminal records regain employment. People will not be able to seal convictions for sex crimes.
Other new California laws
AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, and SB 6, the Middle Class Housing Act of 2022, streamline construction of affordable, multifamily housing developments on areas zoned for office, retail or parking use. The laws also bolster health benefits and wage laws with construction contractors.
AB 1655 comes two weeks too late — the new law adds June 19, or Juneteenth, as a California state holiday. California state offices and courts were notably open this Juneteenth, though the day was declared a federal holiday for the first time this year.
AB 1667, prohibits CalSTRS, the state teachers pension, from requiring teachers to pay back overpayments detected in audit reports. In the past, retired teachers have had to pay back benefits when audits found them to be miscalculated.
SB 301 aims to crackdown on the online sale of stolen goods. Starting July 1, “high-volume third-party” sellers will be required to provide data including contact information and bank account numbers.
AB 2960 allows people in California to request and petition for a restraining order related to domestic violence or gun control electronically.
AB 2043 requires California bounty hunters to be licensed, trained and registered. The new law sprouted from advocacy from a family whose son was killed by a man illegally working as a bounty hunter in Palm Springs in 2021.
