Gov. Gavin Newsom on Dec. 28 highlighted new bills signed into law in 2021 that will go into effect Jan. 1, including measures to expand worker protections, tackle the state’s housing crisis, redress historical injustices and increase voter access.

“In partnership with the Legislature, we’ve advanced hundreds of new bills this year to make meaningful progress on an array of issues that matter deeply to Californians across the state,” Newsom said. “As we head into the new year, I look forward to our continued work to expand opportunity for all Californians.”

Among the new laws taking effect are protections for workers and important measures to increase the state’s supply of affordable housing, create a more inclusive state, expand voter access and protect consumers and the environment from harmful chemicals.

Assembly Bill 701 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) will establish transparency measures for companies to disclose warehouse production quota descriptions and prohibit the use of algorithms that disrupt basic worker rights.

Senate Bill 62 by Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) will end the garment industry’s practice of piece-rate compensation and expand fashion brands’ liability for unpaid wages.

A bill by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), SB 8, will extend the provisions of the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 through 2030 to accelerate the approval process for housing projects and curtail local governments’ ability to downzone, among other provisions.

Two controversial bills – SB 9 and 10 – will facilitate the process for homeowners to build a duplex or split their current residential lot and create a voluntary process for local governments to implement streamlined zoning for new multi-unit housing near transit or in urban infill areas.

SB 2 by Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) creates a system within the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to investigate and revoke or suspend peace officer certification for serious misconduct.

Sen. Nancy Skinner’s SB 16 will expand public access to police misconduct records related to unreasonable or excessive use of force, discriminatory or prejudiced behavior and other misconduct.

Further, SB 389 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) allows restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries that sell food to continue offering to-go alcoholic beverages with food orders, building on state regulatory relief announced in June.

AB 338 by Assemblyman James C. Ramos (D-Highland) will allow the placement of a monument in Capitol Park honoring Sacramento-area tribes, replacing the sculpture of missionary Junipero Serra, while his AB 855 will remove Columbus Day as a judicial holiday and replace it with Native American Day in September.

A bill by Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) will ensure that crimes targeting people due to their immigration status are considered a hate crime.

Other approved Assembly bills will make permanent the measure implemented last year to send a vote-by-mail ballot to every active registered voter, require retail department stores to provide a gender-neutral section for toys and child care items and ban the use of toxic PFASs in products for children, such as car seats and cribs.