California's government is increasingly showing signs...

Editor's note: of dysfunction under Newsom, underscored by a statewide audit that found more than $5 million in waste, misuse and improper payments (also see California and Minnesota are theftocracies) across multiple agencies — including $4.6 million wasted on unused mobile phones and service fees at the Employment Development Department alone, years after the fake pandemic needs had passed. At the same time, Sacramento is poised to implement scores of new laws in 2026 covering everything from AI regulation and food labeling to appliance requirements in rental units, adding complexity and compliance costs for individuals and businesses alike. Rather than demonstrating effective governance, this combination of fiscal mismanagement and legislative expansion fuels frustration among residents who face high living costs and strained public services. If California is to restore public trust and improve outcomes, serious reforms are urgently needed: streamline government, more transparency, tighten oversight mechanisms, and reduce the size and scope of top heavy bureaucracy so policymakers can focus on core functions rather than broad social engineering — a shift that could help rein in waste and deliver better value for California's tax slaves.

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Here are 15 new laws that Californians must start following in 2026

By Sophia Bollag | December 1, 2025

SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom approved more than 900 new laws this year, including measures aimed at countering the influence of President Donald Trump, lowering drug costs and requiring landlords to maintain refrigerators and stoves in apartments.

Here's a rundown of 15 notable state laws that California residents, businesses and visitors will need to follow starting next year.

California will require large health insurers regulated by the state to cap insulin copays to $35 for a 30-day supply starting Jan. 1.

Reducing drug costs  

Senate Bill 40 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, will require large health insurers regulated by the state to cap insulin copays to $35 for a 30-day supply starting Jan. 1. The same requirement will kick in for individual and small group health plans in 2027.

The new price caps will take effect at the same time Gov. Gavin Newsom has said California-branded insulin will be available in pharmacies. CalRx-branded insulin will have a list price of $55 for five insulin pens, significantly less than the $89 to $300 cost range for similar products currently on the market. That effort is part of Newsom’s signature CalRx program, which works with pharmaceutical companies to develop low-cost drugs no longer protected by patents in an effort to drive down prices.

The CalRx insulin product is interchangeable with Lantus, a commonly used brand-name insulin. It is a long-acting insulin analog.

An estimated 3.5 million adults in California have diabetes, or about 10.6% percent of the adult population, according to the American Diabetes Association, and rely on insulin to live. But prices for the medicine have skyrocketed in recent years, forcing some patients to ration doses and risk their lives.

Another bill taking effect Jan. 1 — SB41, also by Wiener — seeks to lower drug costs more broadly by imposing new regulations on pharmaceutical middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers. That bill will prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from steering patients to specific pharmacies and limit their ability to profit from drug sales.

Police and ICE mask ban

Local and federal officers will be prohibited from wearing masks to conceal their identities under SB627, also by Wiener.

The measure will apply to both local police and federal agents, but is targeted at Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who have in many cases worn masks when carrying out aggressive raids as part of Trump's mass deportation effort.

The bill is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, but is being challenged in court. The Trump administration filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles in November, arguing the law infringes on the federal government's power. The lawsuit could delay or ultimately prevent the policy from taking effect, depending on how judges rule in the case.

Please go to the San Francisco Chronicle to continue reading.

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