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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Latest News


Legislation

No-injury lawsuits raise costs for struggling low-income Californians

By A. D. Bamburg |
The cost of living in Sunnyvale significantly surpasses both the statewide and nationwide averages. Low-income families are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, with a surge in "frivolous" lawsuits in the state contributing to soaring prices.

Legislation

With California drafting cyberrisk rules, companies prepare for potential regulatory actions, lawsuits

By Sarah Downey |
As California regulators set new parameters on cybersecurity rules, it’s raising questions about how business should adapt for implementation.

Legislation

CalChamber loses bid to delay California data privacy regulations

By Daniel Fisher |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - California can begin enforcing data privacy regulations under a law voters passed in 2020, an appeals court ruled, rejecting arguments by the California Chamber of Commerce that there should be a one-year delay between the promulgation of new rules and when they can be enforced.

Legislation

X Corp. appeals loss in challenge to terms-and-conditions law in California

By John O'Brien |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - X Corp., the former Twitter, is appealing a federal judge's ruling that preliminarily upheld a new California law that targets terms and services for social media companies.

Legislation

New sick leave law expands mandates imposed in California big cities now statewide; New lawsuit risk for employers

By Sarah Downey |
A new sick leave mandate, which first applied in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and other large California cities, has been in effect at workplaces statewide since Jan. 1.

Legislation

Proposed Prop 65 labeling rules may help some businesses, but could open door to more Prop 65 lawsuits in coming years

By Sarah Downey |
California regulators are expected to require new updates to Proposition 65 warning labels in 2024, significantly changing how it will read because a chemical name also must be listed.

Legislation

X Corp.'s challenge to California's social media law off to rough start

By John O'Brien |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - X Corp., the former Twitter, hasn't shown a likelihood of success in its challenge to a new California law imposing requirements to social media companies.

Legislation

California employers facing new big lawsuit risk from new law easing path to courts for workers accusing retaliation

By Sarah Downey |
A new law taking effect in 2024 will require courts to presume employers are at fault when they are accused of firing workers for engaging in "protected activity"

Legislation

Newsom vetoes bill that would have required seniority-first hiring at businesses across California

By Sarah Downey |
A proposed law that would have changed rehiring rules for laid off workers in dozens more industries statewide was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom at the end of this fall’s legislative session. The law would have forced businesses to try to rehire former workers first, no matter how many times those workers refused

Legislation

With smaller homes, lawmakers hope for big impact on California housing crisis

By Sarah Downey |
With recent data showing even higher hurdles to home ownership in California, a spate of new laws were passed this session to help produce more Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), which are smaller scale units that share the lot of a single family home.

Legislation

California employers face greater lawsuit risk under new criminal background check rules

By Sarah Downey |
Recent changes to the Fair Chance Act (FCA) mean there are new rules that California employers must follow when making decisions about new hires and what can be part of the background check, and employers should expect more lawsuits when denying people jobs

Legislation

Experts warn California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act is veiled censorship, may harm child education

By The Northern California Record |
Law professor Eric Goldman said the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA), which mandates age verification to differentiate between child and adult users online, is veiled content censorship under the guise of protecting minors' privacy.

Legislation

California water supply and strategy bills get bipartisan support in Sacramento

By Sarah Downey |
A long-term update to the California Water Plan received unanimous bipartisan support in the California Senate this session and may be brought back next year after more logistical aspects can be considered.

Legislation

Climate disclosure rules raise burden, risks for businesses in California, across U.S.

By Sarah Downey |
The recent passage of climate accountability laws for businesses is raising questions about costs to consumers, the regional economy, and if such reporting means less climate change innovation.

Legislation

New CA school curriculum law faces constitutional hurdles, runs over local community control of what is taught in schools

By Sarah Downey |
A new law that gives more state power over what is taught in schools is raising questions over whether the state isn't just running roughshod over local school boards because the state doesn't like local school curriculum decisions.

Legislation

Newsom signs bill allowing lawsuits to continue, even amid fight over whether arbitration is required

By Sarah Downey |
In what’s anticipated to mean more angst for California businesses, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a new law, SB 365, that allows court cases to continue against employers while arbitration appeals are still pending.

Legislation

Newsom vetoes bill that would have paid striking workers amid rising unemployment debt

By Sarah Downey |
Business groups warned the legislation would have only worsened strikes, by making strikes far less painful for unions, while at the same time further draining the state's unemployment funds.

Legislation

Newsom, California Dems ask state high court to block voters from reining in their ability to raise taxes

By Sarah Downey |
As Californians face more tax increases, a new ballot measure that would allow residents to have a say in the process is being challenged by government leaders in a petition to the state Supreme Court.

Legislation

Newsom vetoes bill that would have opened new litigation floodgate against businesses

By Sarah Downey |
A bill that would have granted expansive liability to sue California employers has been rejected in a veto by Gov. Gavin Newsom, but not without a concentrated business coalition effort that questioned how a bill with such sweeping language could even make it to the governor’s desk.

Legislation

Appeal filed after NetChoice blocks new California law

By John O'Brien |
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Rob Bonta is appealing a federal court ruling that blocked enforcement of a new requiring websites with content for minors to undertake more protections for them.