New California Laws 2026
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but who administers anti-seizure rescue medication at the scene of an emergency, in good faith and not for compensation, to a person who is experiencing, or is suspected of experiencing, a seizure shall not be subject to professional review, be liable in a civil action, or be subject to criminal prosecution for this administration so long as the person’s conduct is not grossly negligent and does not constitute willful or wanton misconduct. An act to add Section 1714.27 to the Civil Code, re- lating to emergency services. AB 515, Pacheco. Trial: statement of decision. Makes several changes to the process by which a party may request a statement of decision from a su- perior court. An act to amend, repeal, and add Sections 632 and 664 of the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions. AB 566, Lowenthal. California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018: opt-out preference signal. This bill re- quires that internet browsers include an opt-out pref- erence signal allowing consumers interacting with businesses online to automatically exercise their right to opt out of the selling and sharing of their per- sonal information. An act to add Section 1798.136 to the Civil Code, relating to privacy. AB 621, Bauer-Kahan. Deepfake pornography. Re- casts and expands Civil Code Section 1708.86, which governs civil liability for nonconsensual deepfake pornography. An act to amend Section 1708.86 of the Civil Code, relating to the internet. AB 656, Schiavo. Account cancellation. This bill requires social media platforms to provide users a button within the settings of the platform that en- ables the user to delete their account. This bill also requires the social media platforms to make this but- ton accessible on any format that a user can access the platform. Furthermore, this bill requires that a social media platform shall delete personal informa- tion of the user that pertains to the account or the use of the platform upon deletion of the account. Lastly, this bill prohibits social media platforms from using dark patterns to interfere with a user’s ability to de- lete their account. An act to add Title 25 (commencing with Section 3273.90) to Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, re- lating to social media platforms. AB 711, Chen. Civil Actions: shorthand reporters. This bill requires a party to include, as part of its meet-and-confer declaration submitted in support of a discovery motion, whether the parties have met and conferred regarding the retention of a certified shorthand reporter for the hearing on the motion. An act to amend Section 2016.040 of the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions. AB 747, Kalra. Service of Process Accountability, Reform and Equity (SPARE) Act. Strengthens pro- cedural protections for defendants by increasing ac- countability for process servers, clarifying the stan- dard for substituted service, requiring photographic Continued on page 20
Economic Development. Consumer affairs. This bill makes numerous technical and clarifying provisions related to programs within the Department of Con- sumer Affairs (DCA), makes technical changes re- lated to the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), and revises a council name under the jurisdiction of the Division of Measurement Standards (DMS). An act to amend Sections 27, 144, 1602, 1603, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1926.3, 1944, 2532.2, 2532.3, 2532.4, 2532.6, 2532.7, 2536, 6501, 6584, 7076.5, 7137, 7152, 7524, 8027, 8764.5, 9889.1, 9889.2, 9889.9, 12107, 12211, 12500.8, 12609, 13404.5, 13711, 19094, 26051.5, and 26067 of the Business and Professions Code, to amend Sections 44831, 94834, 94866, 94897, 94900, 94902, 94909, and 94910 of, and to repeal Sec- tions 94880.1, 94929.9, and 94949 of, the Education Code, and to amend Section 14132.55 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to consumer affairs. 2025 Assembly Civil Laws AB 78, Chen. Attorney’s fees: book accounts. This bill increases the maximum attorneys’ fees available to a prevailing party in any action on a contract based on a book account that does not provide for attorney’s fees and costs. An act to amend Section 1717.5 of the Civil Code, relating to attorney’s fees. AB 223, Pacheco. Jury selection: acknowledgment and agreement. This bill updates the language used in the acknowledgments and agreements obtained from prospective jurors before conducting voir dire and from jurors once selected for trial regarding their obligations and duties. An act to amend Section 232 of the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to juries. AB 250, Aguiar-Curry. Sexual assault: statute of limitations. Revives certain claims seeking damages for sexual assault, where the plaintiff also alleges that an entity engaged in a cover up of the assault, so that such actions may proceed if already pending on Jan- uary 1, 2026, or, if not filed by that date, commenced between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2027. Also clarifies that the expanded window for bringing claims applies to actions against both the perpetrator and the entity that engaged in the cover-up. An act to amend Section 340.16 of the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions. AB 316, Krell. Artificial intelligence: defenses. Es- tablishes that in civil actions, where a plaintiff alleges harm caused by AI, a defendant who developed, mod- ified, or used the AI is prohibited from asserting that the AI acted autonomously as a defense. An act to add Section 1714.46 to the Civil Code, re- lating to civil actions. AB 369, Michelle Rodriguez. Emergency services: liability. Encourages the administration of anti-sei- zure rescue medication by providing immunity to the unlicensed person who does so. Specifically, this bill provides that notwithstanding any other law, a per- son other than a person on a school site who is not li- censed to administer anti-seizure rescue medication,
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