Four New California Laws Going Into Effect on July 1

Rifles for sale at a gun store in Oceanside. Anyone who buys firearms or ammunition in California will now pay an 11 percent tax.

A wide-ranging collection of new state laws will take effect in California on Monday, including a ban on hidden hotel and concert fees, a shift in how school students are disciplined and a requirement making it easier for people to repair their electronic devices.

A sign at a marijuana retail store in New York City last month.

Gov. Gavin Newsom approved 890 new laws last year. Most of them went into effect at the beginning of the calendar year, but a few have July 1 start dates. Today I'll walk you through four of the most important ones.

Bars must stock drug testing kits

Assembly Bill 1013 requires that bars and nightclubs offer their patrons the means to test their drinks for the presence of common date-rape drugs, known as “roofies.” The 2,400 establishments affected by the new law must either provide test kits to customers at no charge or sell them at a low price. And they must display a sign in a prominent location reading: “Don’t get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.”

Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles.

Higher gun taxes

Anyone who buys firearms or ammunition in California will now pay an 11 percent tax, with the proceeds to be used for school safety and violence prevention programs. The tax, created by A.B. 28, is expected to generate $160 million annually.

Capping security deposits

Until now, landlords have been allowed to require a security deposit equal to as much as three months’ rent. Under A.B. 12, most landlords will be limited to requiring no more than the equivalent of one month’s rent for a security deposit, a change intended to make housing more accessible and affordable for people without much savings. Small landlords will be exempt from the limit if they own no more than two properties that collectively have no more than four units for rent.

Responding to workplace violence

To make workplaces safer, Senate Bill 553 will require all employers in the state to create and implement workplace violence prevention plans. Every violent incident at work will have to be logged, and employees will have to be trained in how to respond to violence.

The law was inspired by a 2021 mass shooting at a rail yard in San Jose, in which a worker killed nine colleagues.

“On that horrible day, we quickly realized how safety protocols can and must be enhanced,” State Senator Dave Cortese, a Democrat from San Jose who wrote the bill, said in a statement after the governor signed the bill. “This groundbreaking law will help workers and employers establish a plan for the types of workplace violence that are on the rise.”

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The rest of the news

■ Cannabis regulators recalled a pesticide-contaminated vape seven months after an investigation revealed the product was tainted, The Los Angeles Times reports.

■ After Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo crashed her car and was charged with driving under the influence last fall, she introduced legislation that would require high school students to be taught about the risks of alcohol, CalMatters reports.

■ The water systems that serve nearly a million Californians do not meet state requirements for safe and reliable drinking water supplies, The Associated Press reports.

Southern California

■ The San Diego Zoo will receive two giant pandas from China, the first to enter the U.S. in more than two decades.

■ The house where Marilyn Monroe lived and died was designated a local historical landmark by the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday.

Central California

■ The entire Bakersfield chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was arrested Tuesday in connection with a kidnapping, robbery and assault investigation, NBC News reports.

Northern California

■ KQED will close its office in downtown San Jose as part of budget cuts, The Mercury News reports.

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And before you go, some good news

A road map of the best pizzas in the United States — according to New York Times food critics — features two locations in California: Pizzeria Sei and Rose Pizzeria.

Rose Pizzeria in Berkeley is run by a married couple who worked together in Chicago for years. Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles, by contrast, is run by an immigrant from South Korea who draws inspiration from Tokyo for his pies.

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Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya

P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword.

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Halina Bennet and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].