6 New CA Laws In 2026 Will Affect Groceries, Schools, Housing And Pay

California residents will see a wave of new laws take effect in 2026 that impact everything from grocery shopping and schools to housing and wages.

These laws reflect California’s broader policy priorities, including environmental protection, student wellbeing, housing standards and worker protections.

As each takes effect in 2026, residents and businesses are urged to review the specifics to ensure compliance and understand how their daily lives might be affected.

Here’s a look at five major changes you should know about before the new year.

Plastic Grocery Bag Ban

In 2026, plastic grocery bags will be phased out in California grocery stores as part of a renewed push to curb environmental waste.

California first banned plastic grocery bags in 2014, but the law carved out an exception for thicker bags meant to be reused up to 125 times — a provision pushed for by plastic and grocery lobbyists.

In September Gov. Gavin Newsom signed, SB 1053, which lawmakers hope will finally close that loophole. The law replaces the original plastic bag ban, SB 270, and will only allow stores to distribute recycled carryout paper bags to customers for a minimum charge of 10 cents per bag.

Starting Jan. 1, most businesses will no longer be allowed to provide single-use plastic bags, and customers may see changes in how recyclable and reusable bags are offered at checkout. The law aims to reduce plastic waste and boost recycling efforts.

READ MORE: New CA Law To Trigger Big Change For Grocery Shopping In 2026

Schools Must Limit Cellphone Use

Under a new education law, California schools will be required to limit or ban the use of cellphones during instructional time.

The goal is to reduce classroom distractions and improve student focus and academic performance. Districts will have flexibility in how they enforce the policy, but statewide standards push schools toward stricter limits than many currently have in place.

California schools have had nearly two years to develop a policy to restrict or prohibit the use of smartphones in classrooms.

The Phone-Free School Act required every school district, county office of education and charter school in the nation's most populous state to develop a policy by July 1, 2026. Institutions will be required to update these policies every five years.

ICE Restricted At Schools

A new state law, Assembly Bill 49, prohibits school officials from allowing officers or agents of immigration enforcement agencies to enter nonpublic areas of a school without a valid judicial warrant, subpoena or court order.

School staff must, to the extent possible, ask for identification before granting access and may not disclose education records or information about students or their families without written consent or legal mandate.

The law also requires updated district policies to align with these protections by March 1, 2026.

“Our places of learning and healing must never be turned into the hunting grounds this federal administration has tried to make them out to be," First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom wrote in a statement. "I have sat with mothers who are afraid to send their children to school, and with farmworker families who live every day with the fear of being torn apart. No family should ever have to carry that weight."

Landlords Must Provide Appliances

Beginning Jan. 1, California landlords must include a working stove and refrigerator as part of the minimum habitability standards for most rental units. The new requirement, part of Assembly Bill 628, adds these kitchen appliances to the list of features that make a home legally “tenantable.”

Landlords must also repair or replace appliances subject to recall within 30 days of notification.

Tenants and landlords may agree in writing that the tenant will provide a refrigerator, but landlords cannot make tenancy contingent on that arrangement. Certain housing types, including permanent supportive housing, are exempt.

The bill was authored by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood).

“A working stove and a working refrigerator are not luxuries — they are a necessary part of modern life,” said McKinnor previously. “By making these necessary appliances standard in rental homes, California can provide all of its residents with a safer, more affordable and more dignified place to call home.”

No More Loud Commercials

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't been in this scenario: You're watching your favorite show on Netflix when suddenly a commercial comes on at an ear-splitting volume.

On Oct. 6, Newsom signed a new bill that will hopefully eliminate occurrences like that. Authored by Sen. Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana), SB 576 prohibits commercials that rise to a level louder than the primary video content being watched.

The new law is set to take effect in July, 2026.

Read more about the bill here.

Minimum Wage Increases

California’s statewide minimum wage will increase to $16.90 per hour on Jan. 1, up from $16.50 in 2025.

The increase applies to most workers, and employers must ensure that exempt salaried employees earn at least twice the state minimum wage — at least $70,304 annually for full-time workers — to maintain exemption status.

Employers are also reminded to post updated wage orders where employees can see them, the state said.