New California Laws Taking Effect July 1 Will Impact Shoppers, Diners, Drivers and Students

New California Laws Taking Effect July 1 Will Impact Shoppers, Diners, Drivers and Students

LCCN Staff Report

Beginning July 1, several new California laws took effect that will affect the daily lives of millions of residents, from the way food is labeled at grocery stores and allergens are listed on restaurant menus to student cellphone policies, housing development and even the volume of streaming television commercials.

Perhaps the most noticeable change for consumers will be at the grocery store. California has become the first state in the nation to standardize food date labels, replacing confusing phrases such as “Sell By,” “Expires On” and “Freshest Before” with just two labels: “Best if Used By,” indicating product quality, and “Use By,” indicating food safety. State officials hope the simplified labels will reduce food waste and help shoppers better understand when food is still safe to eat.

Dining out will also be different. Restaurant chains with 20 or more locations are now required to identify the presence of the “Big 9” food allergens—including milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish and sesame—on menus or through other readily available information, making it easier for customers with food allergies to make informed choices.

Students will also see changes when they return to class. School districts throughout California, including those in Southeast Los Angeles County and Orange County, are now required to adopt policies limiting student cellphone use during the school day in an effort to reduce distractions and improve student learning and mental well-being.

Housing construction could also accelerate in some communities under a new law intended to streamline approval of multifamily residential developments near major transit stations, including areas served by rail and bus systems in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Several other consumer-focused laws also took effect. Self-driving vehicles can now receive traffic citations under California law, and streaming services must keep the volume of commercials at roughly the same level as the programs viewers are watching.

California drivers will also notice another increase at the pump. The state’s gasoline excise tax increased by approximately 1.6 cents per gallon on July 1, bringing the tax to about 61.2 cents per gallon as part of the state’s annual inflation adjustment.