SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — New year. New laws.
In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed 890 bills into law that will take effect in 2024.
Of course we cannot cover all 890, but here are just a few we know will have the most immediate impact.
1. Minimum Wage
Minimum wage is going up across the country, and in San Diego, the minimum wage is now $16.85 cents per hour.
That's 55 cents higher than last year and more than $6 an hour higher than 2016, when the city's new minimum wage law went into effect.
In order to receive the pay, people must work at least two hours in one week and work within the San Diego city limits.
Minimum wage has gone up every year in San Diego since 2019, but this year's increase is the smallest one in that time.
2. Traffic Stops
Under AB 2773, peace officers are now required to first state their name, agency and reason for pulling a civilian over before asking any other questions.
Many agencies already practice this approach, including the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which said it's been doing it for almost two decades. The new law ensures that every California city police department, sheriff's office, and California Highway Patrol trooper adheres to the same guideline.
The law also will require an officer to record every issue they come across during a traffic stop; however, the officer still has the option to choose what they want to ticket the civilian for.
3. Marijuana Drug Tests
Another new highly talked about law is AB 2118. It prevents most employers from punishing workers for failing a marijuana drug test.
California lawmakers thought it was unfair for people who use recreational marijuana at-home to face employment consequences since it has been legalized in the state since 2016. Lawmakers also took into consideration the amount of days marijuana stays in one's system.
Construction workers and companies that have to drug test as part of federal contracts are excluded from this new law.
4. Paid Sick Leave
SB 616 guarantees California workers now have a minimum of five sick days for the year instead of three.
This only applies to people that have been with a the company for at least 200 days, or for about seven months.
This bill aims to curb the spread of sickness, but some opponents were initially skeptical because people don't always use a sick day for being sick.
