It is a new year: 2026. California has passed hundreds of new laws that are now coming online with the start of 2026. The most notable law—The No Mask Law, also known as the No Secret Police Act (SB 627), is now in effect. In a nutshell, SB 627 bars most local, state, and federal law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings while on duty, with limited exceptions (e.g., undercover operations). The goal is to increase transparency and public trust in policing, while also giving much less power and stealth to Trump’s secret police (ICE), who often resemble masked burglars.
Traffic
Other notable laws related to traffic include AB 544, which requires that all electric bikes must have a red reflector or flashing red light with a built-in reflector on the rear at all times—not just at night. Well, I am surprised that was never a requirement in the first place. With how many near encounters I’ve had with pedestrians and bikes that have nearly no visibility, it seems obvious that much faster and beefier electric bicycles should be more visible. There’s also AB 289 which will allow the Department of Transportation to set up a work zone speed safety pilot program—mobile radar or laser systems will detect speed violations in these areas. With the dangers that workers have faced working roadside, AB 289 is a good thing. Before you fret, AB 289 explicitly requires work zones to be clearly marked and active—drive safe and don’t be ticketed speeding at active work zones!
Plastic Bags
Yup, plastic is yet again being eliminated in California. Two bills, SB 1053 and AB 2236 prohibit the use to all plastic grocery bags. You may have noticed that Walmart has transitioned to paper bags a few months ago. Considering that most people just use shopping bags once, it never made much sense for immortal plastic bags to be used. Sure, they were recyclable, but that doesn’t mean everyone will recycle them and that the bags won’t escape out to the ocean or contribute to pollution. Paper bags are not only recyclable, but also biodegradable.
There’s much notable laws that are into effect, such as protecting tenants, wildfire recovery, regulating AI, protecting students, and low-cost insulin.
Source: CBS