Sacramento Capitol Building image via wikipedia user Suvicce

While the nation’s eyes are on Washington, D.C. and the debt-ceiling debate, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed some landmark bills into law as the legislative season closed on Sept. 10.

The new laws include legislation regarding claims of recyclability for packaging, dairy pricing, debt settlement practices and others that local business owners might want to familiarize themselves with.

SB 311: Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act

The Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act, passed in 1996, prohibits certain criminal penalties against a patient or patient’s primary caregiver who possesses or grows cannabis for personal medical use with the written recommendation or approval of a doctor.

SB 311 would require specified types of health care facilities to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis within the health care facility.

SB 607: Business and professions

After July 1, 2022, this bill would a require boards within the Department of Consumer affairs to wave the licensure application fee for various profession licenses, or original license fee for an applicant who meets the expedited licensing requirements.

The Department of Consumer Affairs provides the licensure and regulation of various professions and vocations.

Currently, the law authorizes a board to charge fees for the regulatory cost of administering the regulatory program for a profession or vocation.

The bill would also delete the clinical or practical examination requirement for registered dental assistants in extended functions, as well as make related technical amendments.

Barbers and cosmetologists will also only need 1,000 hours of training for a license, compared to the current standard of 1,600. They will also no longer be required to take a hands-on exam.

SB 343: Environmental advertising for products and packaging

This bill requires all claims about the recyclability of a product or packaging be truthful and accurate, and that consumers have useful information on how to properly handle the end of life of a product or packaging.

The bill requires the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to decide whether a product or packaging is recyclable or not.

It prohibits the sale, distribution or importing of any product or packaging with deceptive or misleading claims about its recyclability in California.

AB 1405: Debt settlement practices

AB 1405 prohibits a debt settlement provider from committing false, deceptive, or misleading acts or practices when providing debt settlement services.

This bill authorizes consumers to terminate a contract for debt settlement services at any time without a fee or penalty by notifying the debt settlement provider.

Consumers also get a three-day cooling off period so they could review disclosures prior to committing to a debt settlement service.

With the new law in place, a consumer can bring a civil action for a violation of these provisions.

AB 425: Dairy producer-handlers

Building upon a bill from 2019 (AB 590), AB 425 clarifies standards for milk costs and production protocol.

Current law makes a payment that is under the minimum produce price set under the applicable stabilization and marketing plan an unlawful trade practice.

This bill would delete this provision.

With the new law, dairy handlers are removed from operations of the provisions of dairy law, and fixes fees and funding mechanisms for the Dairy Council of California.

AB 484: Alarm company operators advertisements

With the passage of AB 484, an alarm company licensee that maintains a website is required to direct potential customers to an online landing page with their license information via radio, television or billboard advertising

AB 888: Mobile slaughter operations

The California Meat and Poultry Supplemental Inspection Act requires that both a mobile slaughter operator who provides services to an owner of cattle, and the owner of the cattle, maintain records.

This bill exempts the mobile slaughterer that provides services to an owner of livestock if the slaughter occurs on the livestock owner’s premises or on the premises of the producer; the producer is registered with the Department of Food and Agriculture; that the meat is not for sale; and the premises where the slaughter occurs have adequate sewers, potable water and facilities.