99 New CA Laws Just Signed By Governor Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom this week signed dozens of bills into law, including one described as a "major overhaul" to the state's charter school system, two aimed at helping victims of altered video known as "deepfakes," and three aimed at adding mental health protections for the state's firefighters and first responders.

Newsom said Assembly Bill 1505 is the first significant reform to California charter schools in 27 years and that people "from all sides of the issue" helped draft the law.

"AB 1505 empowers communities to consider the fiscal impact of new charter schools on existing schools in the neighborhood, increases accountability and transparency for all charter schools, and ensures that high-quality charter schools continue to thrive," his office said in a news release.

The law puts in place a system in which charter schools may be denied if a district is in fiscal distress and allows for local districts to have oversight on some of the schools, among other things.

Both Assembly Bill 602 and Assembly Bill 730 were also signed this week, which focus on cracking down on the unauthorized used of a person's image via a form of digitally altering videos which are known as "deepfakes."

AB 602 focuses on when these videos use someone's image for sexually explicit content and allows victims to "seek injunctive relief and recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs."

The labor union that represents film, TV and other media professionals — the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists — praised Newsom for signing AB 602.

"We are absolutely thrilled that Gov. Newsom stood by the victims, most of whom are women, of non-consensual pornography by signing AB 602 into law," Gabrielle Carteris, president of the union, told Deadline.

AB 730 focuses on the use of deepfakes when it comes to elections. Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) said he introduced the legislation due to growing concerns about how these videos could interfere in the 2020 election. It also allows for "injunctive and other equitable relief" by registered voters.

"Deepfakes are a powerful and dangerous new technology that can be weaponized to sow misinformation and discord among an already hyper-partisan electorate,” Berman said. "Deepfakes distort the truth, making it extremely challenging to distinguish real events and actions from fiction and fantasy. AB 730 seeks to protect voters from being tricked and influenced by manipulated videos, audio recordings, or images before an election."

And three other bills that were signed by Newsom this week included a trio — AB 1116, the California Firefighter Peer Support and Crisis Referral Services Act ; SB 542, the Trauma Treatment Act; and SB 438 — touted as laws that support firefighters and first responders. These groups will gain access to mental health support programs, become eligible for workers' compensation based on post-traumatic stress and prohibit public agencies from outsourcing their emergency dispatch services to private, for-profit companies.

In addition to the above bills, Newsom took action on the following legislation (click here to view the full text of the bills):

• AB 173 by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Arcadia) – Mobilehomes: payments: nonpayment or late payments.
• AB 456 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) – Public contracts: claim resolution.
• AB 596 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Motor vehicle defects: service bulletins and consumer electronic authorization.
• AB 602 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) – Depiction of individual using digital or electronic technology: sexually explicit material: cause of action.
• AB 695 by Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside) – Community college facilities: design-build contracts.
• AB 730 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) – Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.
• AB 754 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Regional notification centers: GIS data: excavations.
• AB 833 by Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) – Parking penalties.
• AB 971 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) – Public contracts: information technology services: contractor evaluations.
• AB 991 by Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) – Maintenance of the codes.
• AB 1013 by Assemblymember Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) – State agencies: grant applications.
• AB 1037 by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) – Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital: clinics: licensure and regulation: exemption.
• AB 1752 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach) – South Coast Water District.
• SB 128 by Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose) – Public contracts: Best Value Construction Contracting for Counties Pilot Program.
• SB 240 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Insurance Adjuster Act.
• SB 267 by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) – Driver’s licenses: United States Foreign Service.
• SB 274 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Mobilehome parks: tenancies.
• SB 485 by Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose) – Driving privilege: suspension or delay.
• SB 504 by Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) – State highways: Route 1: relinquishment.
• SB 623 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) – Multifamily Housing Program: total assistance calculation.
• SB 698 by Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) – Employee wages: payment.
• AB 114 by the Committee on Budget – Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill.
• AB 121 by the Committee on Budget – Social services.
• AB 170 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) – Worker status: employees and independent contractors.
• AB 175 by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) – Foster care: rights.
• AB 241 by Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) – Implicit bias: continuing education: requirements.
• AB 242 by Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) – Courts: attorneys: implicit bias: training.
• AB 253 by Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley) – Remote court reporting.
• AB 256 by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) – Wildlife: California Winter Rice Habitat Incentive Program.
• AB 308 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – Taxation: corporations: minimum franchise tax: limited liability companies: annual tax.
• AB 320 by Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) – Pest control: mosquito abatement.
• AB 333 by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) – Whistleblower protection: county patients’ rights advocates.
• AB 426 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) – In-Home Supportive Services program.
• AB 458 by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-North Hollywood) – Optometrists: home residence permit.
• AB 488 by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) – California Broadband Council.
• AB 525 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) – Teacher credentialing.
• AB 543 by Assemblymember Christy Smith (D-Santa Clarita) – Education: sexual harassment: written policy: posters.
• AB 560 by Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) – Public utilities: unionization.
• AB 588 by Assemblymember Phillip Chen (R-Yorba Linda) – Animal shelters: disclosure: dog bites.
• AB 614 by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) – Income taxes: credits: food banks.
• AB 649 by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) – Gambling Control Act.
• AB 678 by Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon) – Medi-Cal: podiatric services.
• AB 686 by Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R-Escondido) – Indian children.
• AB 701 by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) – Prisoners: exoneration: housing costs.
• AB 703 by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) – Public postsecondary education: fee waivers for exonerated persons.
• AB 709 by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) – School districts: governing boards: pupil members.
• AB 718 by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) – Dependent children: documents.
• AB 800 by Assemblymember Kansen Chu (D-San Jose) – Civil actions: confidentiality.
• AB 807 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) – CalWORKs eligibility: income exemptions.
• AB 827 by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) – Solid waste: commercial and organic waste: recycling bins.
• AB 857 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) – Public banks.
• AB 912 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – Marine invasive species: ballast water and biofouling management requirements.
• AB 960 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) – CalWORKs: homeless assistance.
• AB 984 by Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) – Personal income taxes: voluntary contributions: Suicide Prevention Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund.
• AB 1026 by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) – Electricity: interconnection rules.
• AB 1033 by Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) – State employment: new employees: information.
• AB 1072 by Assemblymember Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) – Public Utilities Commission: audits and reviews.
• AB 1079 by Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) – Telecommunications: privacy protections.
• AB 1088 by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) – Medi-Cal: eligibility.
• AB 1097 by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) – Pupil instruction: credit recovery programs: report.
• AB 1132 by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) – Telecommunications: caller identification fraud.
• AB 1166 by Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-Marin County) – Public works: protection of underground infrastructure: regional notification center system: electronic positive response.
• AB 1172 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) – Special education: nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies.
• AB 1180 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) – Water: recycled water.
• AB 1308 by Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) – Students in hotel management or culinary arts programs: tastings.
• AB 1319 by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) – Migrant education: pupil residency.
• AB 1320 by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-North Hollywood) – Public employee retirement systems: prohibited investments: Turkey.
• AB 1352 by Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R-Escondido) – Community mental health services: mental health boards.
• AB 1377 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – CalFresh.
• AB 1505 by Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach) — reform of the Charter Schools Act of 1992 to address longstanding challenges for both traditional public school districts and charter schools.
• AB 1510 by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace) – Sexual assault and other sexual misconduct: statutes of limitations on civil actions.
• AB 1520 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – Court Reporters Board of California.
• AB 1523 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – State Athletic Commission.
• AB 1642 by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) – Medi-Cal: managed care plans.
• AB 1824 by the Committee on Natural Resources – California Environmental Quality Act: exemption for closure of railroad grade crossing.
• SB 40 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Conservatorship: serious mental illness and substance use disorders.
• SB 63 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) – Personal Income Tax Law: exclusion: student loan debt forgiveness.
• SB 70 by Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Red Bluff) – Electricity: undergrounding of electrical infrastructure.
• SB 205 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) – Business licenses: stormwater discharge compliance.
• SB 208 by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) – Consumer Call Protection Act of 2019.
• SB 262 by Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) – Marine resources: commercial fishing and aquaculture: regulation of operations.
• SB 269 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) – Wrongful convictions.
• SB 306 by Senator Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga) – Mortgages and deeds of trust: trustee substitutions.
• SB 390 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – School safety: school security officers and security guards.
• SB 436 by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) – Office of Child Abuse Prevention.
• SB 442 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – State parks: resource exploitation exceptions: commercialization of investigation results.
• SB 455 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) – Financial Empowerment Fund: unbanked and underbanked populations.
• SB 457 by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) – Biomethane: gas corporations.
• SB 519 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) – Hazardous substances: underground storage tanks.
• SB 552 by Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera) – Hazardous waste: household hazardous waste: door-to-door collection programs: residential pickup services.
• SB 583 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) – Clinical trials.
• SB 651 by Senator Steven Glazer (D-Orinda)– Discovery: postconviction.
• SB 676 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) – Transportation electrification: electric vehicles: grid integration.
• SB 726 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) – Hazardous waste: public agencies: materials exchange program.
• SB 785 by the Committee on Natural Resources and Water – Public resources: parklands, freshwater resources, and coastal resources: off-highway motor vehicles: public lands.
• SB 786 by the Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development – Healing arts.

Meanwhile, Newsom vetoed the following four bills:

• AB 296 by Assemblymember Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova) – Climate change: Climate Innovation Grant Program: voluntary tax contributions. A veto message can be found here.
• AB 394 by Assemblymember Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) – California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire safety. A veto message can be found here.
• AB 551 by Assemblymember William Brough (R-Dana Point) – Fatal vehicular accidents: chemical test results. A veto message can be found here.
• AB 594 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) – Artificial intelligence. A veto message can be found here.