New California Laws July 1, 2026 | Feher Law
- Tom Feher, Esq.
From Tom Feher, Esq.
“Most people only hear about new laws on January 1, but a second wave lands every July 1, and these mid-year changes hit two things I care about most for my clients: their paychecks and their safety on the road. If your city raised its minimum wage and your employer kept paying the old rate, that is wage theft you can recover. And as driverless cars fill our streets, knowing who answers when one hurts you is no longer theoretical. Read these closely.”
Thomas Feher, Esq. · Founding Attorney, Feher Law APC · 50+ jury trials to verdict · $150M+ recovered · Super Lawyers 2022-2026
A new batch of California laws takes effect on July 1, 2026, separate from the changes that arrived on January 1. The July 1 wave raises local minimum wages across Los Angeles County and surrounding cities, launches statewide enforcement of driverless vehicles under AB 1777, expands employer-paid fertility coverage under SB 729, and adds new rules for food date labels, restaurant allergen disclosure, phones in schools, all-gender school restrooms, crisis-line numbers on student IDs, streaming ad volume, and transit-oriented housing. This guide explains what each law does and who it affects, with the deepest focus on the wage and driverless-car rules that most directly shape your rights.
Looking for the January 1, 2026 changes instead? See our companion guide to the new California laws in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Local minimum wages rise July 1, 2026: Los Angeles County reaches $18.47 per hour and the City of Los Angeles $18.42, both well above the $16.90 state floor. If your employer pays less than your city or county rate, that gap may be recoverable wage theft.
- AB 1777 puts driverless cars under real enforcement: Police can now ticket non-compliant autonomous fleets, and operators must staff a free 24/7 emergency hotline with live human operators you can reach after a crash.
- SB 729 expands fertility coverage: Large employers with 100 or more workers must cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF.
- Consumer and school rules change too: Standardized food date labels (AB 660), first-in-the-nation restaurant allergen disclosure (AB 68), phone-free schools (AB 3216), all-gender school restrooms (SB 760), crisis-line numbers on student IDs (AB 727), quieter streaming ads (SB 576), and transit housing zoning (SB 79).
- These are mid-year laws: All of the changes in this guide take effect July 1, 2026, distinct from the January 1, 2026 batch.
California Laws Taking Effect July 1, 2026 at a Glance
| Law | What It Does | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Local minimum wage increases | Raises hourly minimums above the $16.90 state floor (LA County $18.47, City of LA $18.42), with higher hospitality and healthcare rates. | Hourly workers and employers across LA County and nearby cities. |
| AB 1777 (Autonomous Vehicles) | Lets law enforcement cite non-compliant driverless fleets and requires a free 24/7 emergency hotline staffed by live remote operators. | Driverless car companies and anyone sharing the road with them. |
| SB 729 (Fertility coverage) | Requires large employers to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF. | Employees at companies with 100 or more workers. |
| AB 660 (Food date labeling) | Standardizes “Best if used by” and “Use by” labels and bans most sell-by dates to reduce food waste. | Grocery shoppers and food manufacturers (eggs, beer, infant formula exempt). |
| AB 68 (Allergen disclosure) | Makes California the first state to require large restaurant chains to disclose the 9 major food allergens. | Diners with allergies and chains with 20 or more nationwide locations. |
| AB 3216 (Phone-Free Schools Act) | Requires schools to limit or prohibit student smartphone use on campus. | K-12 students, parents, and school districts. |
| SB 760 (All-gender restrooms) | Requires public and charter schools to provide at least one non-gendered restroom. | Students and school facilities staff. |
| AB 727 (Crisis line on student IDs) | Requires the Trevor Project 24/7 crisis line (1-866-488-7386) printed on student IDs. | Middle and high school and college students. |
| SB 576 (Streaming ad volume) | Requires streaming platforms to keep commercial audio no louder than the surrounding content. | Streaming viewers and platforms. |
| SB 79 (Transit-oriented zoning) | Overrides local zoning to allow multifamily housing near major transit and ends single-family-only zoning within a half mile of frequent transit. | Homebuilders, renters, and local governments. |
Source: NBC Los Angeles.
Local Minimum Wage Increases: The Biggest July 1 Change for Workers
The most significant July 1, 2026 change for California workers is a round of local minimum wage increases. While the statewide minimum wage sits at $16.90 per hour, many cities and counties in the Los Angeles area set their own higher floors, and several of those rates step up on July 1.
For standard hourly work, the new local rates include:
- Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas): $18.47 per hour
- City of Los Angeles: $18.42 per hour
- Santa Monica: $18.47 per hour
- Pasadena: $18.57 per hour
- Malibu: $17.91 per hour
Hospitality and hotel workers see even higher minimums. The City of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Glendale set a $25.00 hotel rate, Long Beach reaches $26.50, and West Hollywood sets $20.87. Healthcare workers also have their own tiered schedule: $25.00 at large hospitals with 10,000 or more employees, $23.00 at general healthcare facilities, $22.00 at clinics, and $19.28 at independent rural hospitals.
These local rates matter because California law requires employers to pay whichever minimum wage is highest, whether that is the state, county, or city rate for the place where you actually work. If your employer keeps paying the old rate, the $16.90 state minimum, or a rate from the wrong city after July 1, the unpaid difference is recoverable, often with interest and penalties on top. Unpaid minimum wage, off-the-clock work, and misclassification are all forms of wage theft.
If you believe you are being underpaid, our guide on how to sue your employer for wage theft in California walks through your options, and our California employment lawyers offer a free, confidential consultation to review your pay records.
Free Case Evaluation – No Fee Unless You Win
If your paycheck did not reflect your city or county minimum wage after July 1, call (310) 340-1112 or visit our California employment lawyers page for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win.
AB 1777: Driverless Cars Come Under Real Enforcement
AB 1777 is the July 1 change with the biggest impact on road safety. As autonomous vehicle fleets like Waymo expand across California streets, the law gives law enforcement clear authority to ticket driverless vehicles that violate traffic rules, closing a gap where an officer previously had no human driver to cite.
Just as important for accident victims, AB 1777 requires autonomous vehicle operators to maintain a free 24/7 emergency response hotline staffed by remote human operators. That means if a driverless car is involved in a collision, blocks an intersection, or fails to respond at the scene, there is a live person you or first responders can reach.
If you are hit by a driverless car in California, your right to recover for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering does not disappear simply because no human was behind the wheel. Liability typically shifts to the company that owns and operates the vehicle, and these companies carry substantial commercial insurance. The key steps are the same as any crash: get medical care, document the scene, use the emergency hotline to report it, and avoid giving a recorded statement to the company insurer before talking to an attorney.
For how these claims work, see our California car accident lawyer page. If your crash involved a rideshare vehicle, including the growing overlap between rideshare and autonomous fleets, our California rideshare accident lawyer page explains those claims.
Hit by a Driverless or Rideshare Vehicle?
Talk to a California accident attorney before you speak to the company insurer. Call (310) 340-1112 or request your free consultation online. You pay nothing unless we win.
SB 729: Expanded Fertility and IVF Coverage
SB 729 requires large employers with 100 or more employees to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including in vitro fertilization, with provisions for multiple egg retrievals and embryo transfers. It is one of the few laws appearing in both the January and mid-year 2026 conversations because of its phased rollout.
We cover SB 729 in depth, including coverage details and how it fits with other benefit changes, in our guide to the new California laws in 2026.
AB 660: Standardized Food Date Labels
AB 660 cleans up the confusing patchwork of food date labels. It standardizes language to “Best if used by” for quality and “Use by” for safety, bans most sell-by dates that mainly served retailers, and encourages food donation rather than disposal. The goal is to cut food waste driven by shoppers tossing food that is still safe to eat. Infant formula, eggs, and beer are exempt from the new labeling rules.
AB 68: First-in-the-Nation Restaurant Allergen Disclosure
With AB 68, California becomes the first state to require large restaurant chains, those with 20 or more locations nationwide, to disclose the presence of the nine major food allergens on their menus or menu items. The nine allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans, fish, shellfish, and sesame. For diners managing serious allergies, clear disclosure can prevent dangerous reactions.
AB 3216: The Phone-Free Schools Act
AB 3216, the Phone-Free Schools Act, requires California schools to adopt policies that limit or prohibit student smartphone use during the school day. The law responds to growing concern about phones distracting students and affecting mental health, while leaving room for exceptions such as emergencies and documented medical needs.
SB 760: All-Gender Restrooms in Schools
SB 760 requires public and charter schools to provide at least one all-gender, non-gendered restroom on campus. The measure is aimed at giving every student access to a safe and comfortable restroom option.
AB 727: Crisis Hotline Numbers on Student IDs
AB 727 requires middle schools, high schools, and colleges that issue student identification cards to print a 24/7 crisis line on them, specifically the Trevor Project line at 1-866-488-7386. Putting the number where students always have it is intended to make crisis support easier to reach in a difficult moment.
SB 576: Quieter Streaming Ads
SB 576 extends a long-standing rule from broadcast television to streaming. Streaming platforms must keep the volume of commercials no louder than the surrounding content, ending the jarring jump in volume when an ad interrupts your show.
SB 79: Transit-Oriented Housing Zoning
SB 79 is one of the more far-reaching changes. It overrides certain local zoning rules to allow multifamily housing near major transit hubs and effectively ends single-family-only zoning within a half mile of frequent transit service. Supporters say it will add housing where people can rely on transit; local governments and some neighborhoods have raised concerns about local control. Either way, it reshapes what can be built near California transit.
What These Changes Mean for California Workers and Accident Victims
Most of these July 1 laws are consumer and school measures that simply make daily life clearer or safer. Two of them, though, directly affect your legal rights.
For workers: the local minimum wage increases are not optional. If you work in a city or county with a higher rate and your employer pays less after July 1, you are likely owed the difference, and California law provides strong remedies for wage theft, including back pay, interest, and penalties. Keep your pay stubs and hours, and have them reviewed by our California employment lawyers if something looks off.
For drivers, passengers, and pedestrians: AB 1777 confirms that driverless vehicles are accountable on California roads. If one hits you, you have the same right to compensation as in any crash, and there is now a 24/7 hotline to reach the operator. Our California car accident team handles these claims, including the insurance complexities unique to autonomous and commercial fleets.
You pay nothing unless we win. Consultations are always free and confidential.
Last reviewed by Thomas Feher, Esq. – June 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
On July 1, 2026, California sees local minimum wage increases, AB 1777 enforcement of autonomous vehicles, SB 729 fertility coverage for large employers, AB 660 food date labeling, AB 68 restaurant allergen disclosure, AB 3216 phone-free schools, SB 760 all-gender school restrooms, AB 727 crisis-line numbers on student IDs, SB 576 streaming ad volume limits, and SB 79 transit-oriented housing zoning.
The statewide minimum wage is $16.90 per hour, but many local rates are higher and step up on July 1, 2026. Los Angeles County reaches $18.47, the City of Los Angeles $18.42, Santa Monica $18.47, Pasadena $18.57, and Malibu $17.91. Hospitality and healthcare workers have separate, higher rates. Employers must pay whichever rate is highest for where you work.
No. California requires employers to pay whichever minimum wage is highest among the state, county, and city rates for the location where you perform your work. If your employer pays only the $16.90 state minimum or a lower city rate after July 1, 2026, the unpaid difference is recoverable as wage theft, potentially with interest and penalties. A free consultation with an employment attorney can confirm whether you are owed back pay.
You have the same right to recover for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering as in any crash. Liability typically shifts to the company that owns and operates the autonomous vehicle, and AB 1777 now requires those operators to maintain a free 24/7 emergency hotline with live operators. Get medical care, document the scene, and speak with a California car accident attorney before giving any statement to the company's insurer.
SB 729 requires employers with 100 or more employees to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF, with provisions for multiple egg retrievals and embryo transfers. Smaller employers are treated differently. For full coverage details and how SB 729 fits with other 2026 benefit changes, see our companion guide to the new California laws in 2026.
Yes, for large chains. AB 68 makes California the first state to require restaurant chains with 20 or more nationwide locations to disclose the nine major food allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans, fish, shellfish, and sesame). Smaller independent restaurants are not covered by this requirement.
No. These laws all take effect on July 1, 2026 and are a separate, mid-year batch from the changes that arrived on January 1, 2026. SB 729 appears in both discussions because of its phased rollout. For the January changes, see our guide to the new California laws in 2026.
Every law covered in this guide takes effect on July 1, 2026. The local minimum wage rates apply to hours worked on or after that date, so review your first paycheck covering the new period to confirm you are being paid correctly.
Ready to Protect Your Paycheck or Your Recovery?
Whether you were underpaid after a July 1 minimum wage increase or injured by a driverless or rideshare vehicle, Feher Law APC can help. Call (310) 340-1112 or request your free consultation online. You pay nothing unless we win.
