Consumer Protection

Overhauls alcohol rules to expand aging, boost on-site sales, and test direct shipping. Raises craft distiller on-site sale limit to 4.5 liters per consumer per day. Establishes a temporary direct ship regime with permits, records, labeling, and a 2.25 liter cap. Sunsets direct shipping on Jan 1, 2027 and enables ABC enforcement.

Authorizes state licensing boards to waive certain requirements for professionals affected by declared disasters. Requires contractors performing disaster debris removal to have specific licenses and hazardous material certifications. Prohibits real estate agents from making predatory offers to disaster-affected property owners for one year. Mandates all licensed professionals provide email addresses to their licensing boards for emergency communications.

Establishes the Insurance and Climate Risk Market Intelligence Act to collect reinsurance data and model use. Requires annual March 1 reports by insurers with $50M+ premiums on reinsurance data and catastrophe models. Protects confidentiality of submissions and posts aggregated public reports. Extends loss timelines and contents advances during emergencies, with 60% contents up to $350k and July 1, 2026 compliance.

Mandates real-time age-bracket signals to developers. OSs must collect birth date or age at setup and provide signals by January 1, 2027. Imposes penalties up to $2,500 per negligent and $7,500 per intentional child; enforcement by the Attorney General. Operative date 1/1/2027; July 1 transitions; exemptions for broadband, telecom, and physical products.

Establishes privacy-first ALPR governance, excluding certain transit and airport entities. Imposes 60-day retention cap and 14-day deletion for non-matching ALPR data. Bans default access to national ALPR databases and limits inter-agency sharing. Provides private action remedies and DOJ audits funded by the budget act.

Makes technical changes to update cross-references and terminology in consumer affairs provisions.

Establishes ban on common pricing algorithms used to restrain trade. Defines key terms including common pricing algorithm and commercial term. Alters pleading standards to allow plausible restraint claims. Leaves penalties and private rights of action undefined.

Requires cancellation notices to be sent by email and adds an email contact in contracts. Empowers buyers to file a CSLB complaint if a cancellation notice is missing from the contract. Imposes enhanced contract content rules, including subcontractor disclosures and lien warnings. Creates a sequencing condition with SB517 that governs when the amendments take effect.

Establishes automatic payment system by April 1, 2026. Prohibits cancellation or nonrenewal solely for not enrolling in auto-pay. Allows a cure period for outstanding premiums under existing rules. Keeps the 10-day notice before cancellation for nonpayment.

Extends oversight of automotive repair dealers and real estate professionals through January 1, 2030. Establishes a Recovery Account to compensate consumers harmed by licensed real estate appraisers. Requires real estate broker applicants to complete new training on implicit bias and fair housing. Mandates fingerprinting and background checks for all real estate license applicants and renewals.

Extends ban on online sweepstakes that use dual currencies to simulate gambling. Broadens gambling scope to include lottery, bingo, sports wagering, and similar games. Creates a new crime making it unlawful to operate online sweepstakes in California. Imposes misdemeanor penalties of $1,000-$25,000 and up to one year in jail; preserves exemptions.

Authorizes local agencies to retrieve abandoned shopping carts and charge owners up to $100 per cart. Requires cities to provide 48 hours notice before retrieving shopping carts from public areas. Increases maximum fines for unretrieved carts from $50 to $100 per occurrence. Allows immediate removal of carts that block emergency services or pose safety hazards.

Updates gift certificates to include electronic forms and raises cash redemption to under $15. Operative date for these changes is April 1, 2026. Adds nonprofit donation carve-out with a 10-point disclaimer that cash redemption does not apply.

Makes technical changes to wording and procedural requirements.

Establishes mandatory disclosures on new self-service storage rental agreements. Requires six disclosures: term, promo status, promo duration, 12-month cap, termination steps, and owner contact. Requires first-page placement with larger, high-visibility formatting. Applies only to new agreements after January 1, 2026, and enforcement details are not specified.

Raises minimum civil penalties for unlicensed contractor violations to deter unlicensed work. Establishes minimum penalties of at least $500 or $1,500 for other violations with inflation updates every five years. Increases the reserve fund target to approximately 12 months of annual expenditures and requires fees to fund it. Sets July 1, 2026 as the operative date for major penalties and related rule changes.

Requires data brokers to register annually and disclose the data they collect. Mandates an accessible deletion mechanism with 45-day processing and no fee. Prohibits public disclosure of certain sensitive data on the agency site. Requires independent audits of data brokers every three years starting 2028.

Requires the prime contractor to complete the project per the contract. Requires subcontractor disclosure and a change-order disclaimer if used. Prohibits contractor from holding financial or other interests in joint control. Operative status depends on enactment and sequencing with a cross-bill.

Establishes the California Combating Auto Retail Scams Act to curb misrepresentation in auto sales. Requires total price disclosures, itemization, and clear add-on disclosures in vehicle contracts. Creates a 3-day right to cancel for used vehicles under 50k with restocking limits. Replaces old cancellation option with the 3-day right; operative Oct 1, 2026; 2-year records.

Requires browsers to include a consumer-configurable opt-out signal by January 1, 2027. Mandates public disclosures explaining how the opt-out signal works and its effect. Grants immunity to browser developers for violations by downstream recipients. Authorizes CPPA to adopt regulations to implement and administer the provision.

Establishes penalties up to $2,500 per violation for unfair competition against displaced persons. Requires housing listing platforms to remove price gouging listings within 30 days of emergencies. Authorizes enhanced penalties when violations harm seniors, disabled persons, veterans, or displaced persons. Creates a housing listing platforms framework with policies, reporting, and enforcement.

Requires large social platforms earning over $100M to provide a clear Delete Account button. Provides steps to delete the account and information and prohibits dark patterns. Enforcement relies on the CCPA; no new penalties or state funding are created.

Establishes a temporary expedited licensure path for descendants after certification. Requires boards under the department to expedite licensure for descendants. Provides a four-year sunset from the operative date. Requires certification enactment for operative status and notes no new funding.

Authorizes rental companies to use geofence technology to detect vehicle movements. Creates a presumption of no theft liability if key is returned and police report filed within 24 hours. Requires advance notice before surveillance activation and 12‑month recordkeeping. Limits surveillance use to defined purposes and enforcement via existing laws.

Requires disclosure for digitally altered images in real estate ads. Requires unaltered images or a link to them on internet postings under licensee control. Defines digitally altered image and lists examples excluding ordinary edits. Treats violations as crimes under the Real Estate Law with no new penalties or funding specified.