Will the New California Laws in 2023 Affect You?
In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed many different bills into law. In 2023, those laws will take effect, and California residents should know how they might affect their lives. From official holiday changes to workplace laws, 2023 will be an interesting year for Californians and their families. How will these new California 2023 laws affect you?
New California Laws in 2023
As the political landscape changes, so do the laws governing our society. In 2023, some of these regulations will shift significantly and affect everyday life for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. What new 2023 legislation is on the horizon, and how could it impact you?
Feather Alert System
Effective January 1, 2023, Assembly Bill 1314, commonly referred to as the “feather alert law,” will take effect in California. Legislators designed this essential new law to help find and reunite missing Native American persons with their families.
The law requires all California’s police departments and media outlets to issue an alert when a Native American person is reported missing. Unlike Amber Alerts or Silver Alerts, which can help find missing children or older adults, respectively, there was no existing alert for missing Native Americans before this legislation—a clear gap that needed filling.
With this new bill covering both urban and rural California, future generations of Native Americans will be far less likely to become lost or stolen without promptly issuing the proper notification.
Minimum Wage Increase
California is set to experience a drastic increase in the minimum wage by 2023. Beginning this month, January 1st, the state’s minimum wage will go up by 50 cents to $15.50. This 3.33 percent increase is just half of the increase in inflation from July 2021 to June 2022, but it will help many families struggling to make ends meet.
This brings wages up closer to the current living wage of California and increases pay for nearly two million workers currently in jobs that tend to pay minimum wage.
Further efforts are underway to raise the minimum wage even more within California as multiple groups petition for a statewide measure to increase wages more drastically to account for inflation. However, if the current law is changed, Californians will reach an $18/hr minimum wage in 2028.
Transparency of Pay Scales
On an individual and organizational level, California’s transparency of pay scales law that takes effect in 2023 creates an equal playing field. This law will require employers with 15 or more employees to provide pay scales in job postings. This will help applicants understand the position they are applying for and its salary range.
In addition, companies with 100 or more employees must include a “median and mean hourly rate for each combination of race, ethnicity, and sex within each job category” in pay reports.
This greater understanding of financial expectations can help better align businesses with prospective employees and encourage a fairer workplace. In addition to this change, the future impact of such disclosure requirements remains to be seen, including increased competition from nationwide companies when vying for employees or new factors taken into account during job appraisals and career progression.
New Holidays
California residents will now have new holidays to celebrate. Governor Newsom signed many new state holidays into law in 2022. Those include:
- Genocide Remembrance Day (April 24)
- Juneteenth (June 19)
- Lunar New Year (on the second or third new moon following the winter solstice)
- Native American Day (the fourth Friday of September).
Farm Worker Rights
Assembly Bill 2183, also known as the Farm Worker Rights Law, passed in California in September 2019 and is scheduled to take effect on January 1st, 2023. The new bill would give agricultural workers the right to vote on unionization by mail. It also gives them the right to gain union representation through a check card.
There has been much criticism regarding this law and ballot voting. However, Governor Newsom agreed with United Farm Workers and the California Labor Federation to have the bill amended in 2023.
Legalizing Jaywalking
Pedestrians in California can now cross the street outside of an intersection or crosswalk without getting a ticket. Assembly Bill 2147, also known as the Freedom to Walk Act, will go into effect in California in 2023. It is a significant change in legislation and attitude.
By legalizing jaywalking, legislators hope to save pedestrians from dangerous situations caused by rushing across busy streets to make it past a crosswalk before the timer runs out. Additionally, this law means that pedestrians will now have improved access to destinations around cities without fearing legal repercussions for crossing outside the designated areas.
This move will support social justice reform by not allowing minor offenses to have a disproportionately negative impact on vulnerable populations such as homeless individuals. It will also reduce police enforcement of minor violations and allow more time for officers to focus on more serious crimes.
Passing Bicyclists
Beginning in 2023, Assembly Bill 1909 will give greater protection to bicyclists. All drivers must change lanes before passing a bicyclist in the New Year. The previous law required drivers to create a three-foot space when passing bicyclists. However, this law was difficult to enforce and did not protect bicyclists from serious collisions.
Assembly Bill 1909 is part of an effort made by state legislators to promote better bicycling as a viable alternative form of transportation that can both reduce traffic congestion and emissions from motor vehicles.
Fast Food Labor Council
Assembly Bill 257, known as the Fast Food Labor Council Law, is set to take effect in California come 2023. This law requires employers in the state’s fast food industry to recognize labor councils and bargain collectively with their employees over workplace issues. The new council would oversee labor conditions in the fast-food industry, giving fast-food workers a voice in improving their work conditions and pay.
However, fast food companies like McDonald’s have been working to stop this council from getting created. As such, it remains to be seen if this law will have much impact in California in the coming years.
California Injury Lawyers Fighting For You
The San Bernardino injury attorneys at William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. can help you seek justice after suffering harm in an accident in California. Our lawyers fight aggressively to ensure your rights are protected throughout the legal process. Call our law firm at (909) 890-1000 or fill out our confidential contact form today. We offer FREE initial consultations and reviews, so you can quickly get the answers you need.
William Shapiro has handled catastrophic injury/wrongful death actions for over 4 decades obtaining numerous seven and eight-figure verdicts and settlements. Honors include: 2022, 2016 and 2013 OCTLA “Top Gun” TLY; 2022 CAOC TLY Finalist; 2018 “Lifetime Achievement Award” Western State College of Law, 2021 & 2017 Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year; 2016 WSBCBA “TLY”; 2015 CAL-ABOTA “TLY”; 2014 “TLY” Consumer Attorneys of CAOIE; 2011 “Hall of Fame,” Western State College of Law; Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; International Academy of Trial Lawyers; International Society of Barristers; Diplomat, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA); National Board of Trial Advocacy; specialist in Trial Advocacy, State Bar of California; “Best Lawyers in America” and “Tier 1 Best Law Firms” U.S. News; AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell; SuperLawyers; Past President of: San Bernardino/Riverside chapter ABOTA; San Bernardino County Bar Association; Consumer Attorneys of Inland Empire; The Joseph. B. Campbell American Inn of Court; Consumer Attorneys of California; IE ; National Sec of ABOTA, Adjunct professor, Western State College of Law. Learn more here.