California will enact series of woke new laws from January 1

California will enact series of woke new laws from January 1 including ban on sale of new fur, and laws which effectively decriminalize jaywalking and loitering for prostitution

• Governor Gavin Newsom signed more than 1,000 bills into law this year
• Some officials warned that the laws might stop officers from intervening in life threatening crimes, such as jay walking and human trafficking 
• Other laws include the increase in minimum wage, more holidays, limitations to the usage of rape kits and wage transparency 

California is set to implement a series of new woke laws, including banning the sale of fur, decriminalizing jaywalking and prostitution-based loitering. 

Governor Gavin Newson signed about 1,000 bills into law this year, including some woke controversial laws.

Officials warn the laws, which will be enacted in early 2023, will harm state residents, including a prostitution law that will make it more difficult for law enforcement to identify victims of human trafficking. 

Meanwhile, other laws create new holidays and increase the state’s minimum wage. 

Governor Gavin Newsom signed more than 1,000 bills into law this year

Ban on New Fur Sales 

Fur has been a part of California history before the gold rush in the 1800s with several Europeans and Americans flocking to the west coast for otter and seal fur. 

Now, fur products may no longer be sold or made in the state under Assembly Bill 44 authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D). 

Violators can face up to a $1,000 fine, according to The National Review.  The bill was approved in 2019 but wasn’t set to go into effect until 2023. 

The bill excludes the use of fur for religious and cultural purposes. 

Controversial laws include the decriminalization of sex work and the sale ban on fur

Decriminalize Prostitution-based Loitering

Prostitution will be easier in California through Senate Bill 357 that would repeal current laws that prohibit loitering in the state with the intent of prostitution. 

Woke Democratic Senator Scott Wiener authored the bill to halt the crack down of the criminalization of prostitution.

Wiener insisted argued that the current law targets the LGBT and black communities ‘for simply existing and looking like a “sex worker” to law enforcement.’ 

He argued that law enforcement abuses their power by arresting ‘people for discriminatory reasons, such as wearing revealing clothing while walking in an area where sex work has occurred before.’

People currently in prison for loitering related offenses are eligible to get to have their conviction revoked. 

Officials against the bill previously warned the new law would make it harder for law enforcement to identify victims of human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Governor Newsom supported the bill and claimed it doesn’t legalize prostitution. 

‘To be clear, this bill does not legalize prostitution,’ Newsom previously said. ‘It simply revokes provisions of the law that have led to disproportionate harassment of women and transgender adults. Black and Latino women are particularly affected.’ 

Prostitution will be easier in California through Senate Bill 357 that would repeal current laws that prohibit loitering with the intent of prostitution

The Freedom to Jaywalk  

Jaywalking will soon be legal in California after Assembly Bill 2147 authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D) U-turned the current law that supposedly targets people of color.

The new law claims that an officer can’t stop a pedestrian illegally crossing the street unless their life is at danger due to walking toward ongoing traffic.

Ting argued racial discrimination in the current law and cited a study that showed black Californians were more likely to be cited for jay walking than the general population, according to the bill analysis. 

‘People who need to walk in their neighborhoods should not be penalized for decades of infrastructure neglect and auto-first street design that fails to consider the needs of users who aren’t in cars,’ the analysis reads. 

Newsom previously vetoed a similar law after claiming ‘California has the highest total number of pedestrian fatalities in the nation.’ 

Law enforcement officers have argued the new bill will only increase fatalities.

Jaywalking will soon be legal in California after after the current law was U-turned. The new law claims that an officer can’t stop a pedestrian illegally crossing the street unless their life is at danger due to walking toward ongoing traffic

New Holidays: Lunar New Year 

California has been one of the first to implement new holidays, such as Juneteenth on June 19, and Native American Day on September 22 and now Lunar New Year.

The Chinese New Year celebration that occurs on January 22 will be declared a state holiday beginning next month through Assembly Bill 2956. 

The new law requires employers to offer state employees eight hours of ‘personal holiday credit’ to celebrate the new year.

‘I am immensely proud of the richness of diversity and backgrounds represented in our state and understand the importance of wanting to see one’s own experience reflected in state holidays,’ Newsom wrote in response to the bill. 

Lunar New Year will not be considered a state holiday. Employers are required to give workers the day off

Gender-based Discrimination on Products

Businesses will no longer be able to charge more for woman products that are similar to men, such as razors, shaving cream and shampoos.

Assembly Bill 1287 authored by Democratic Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Cristina Garcia prohibits brands for marketing products at a higher price based on gender the goods are designed for.

The assemblywomen argued that women paid $188,000 more for personal care items than men. 

Businesses will be subjected to pay $10,000 for the first violation and up to $1,000 for additional violations.

Rape-Kit Usage 

A new law to protect rape-victims prohibits officers from using a victim’s DNA to connect them with previous crimes. 

Senate Bill 1228 authored by Senator Wiener ensures that victims are comfortable with being utilizing the kits.

Wiener cited a case in San Francisco that occurred when the police department used the DNA from a rape victim to connect her to another crime. 

‘It’s already hard enough for sexual assault survivors to make the decision to come forward, report a crime, and undergo an invasive rape kit exam at the hospital,’ Weiner’s wrote in a statement. 

‘The last thing we need is to send a message to survivors that if they come forward, their DNA sample may be used against them in the future. We need to be clear and unequivocal that we support survivors and that providing a rape kit DNA sample will be a safe and respectful process.’ 

A new law to protect rape-victims prohibits officers from using a victim’s DNA to connect them with previous crimes

Employers Must Display Salary Ranges 

Businesses with more than 15 employees will be required to be transparent about salary ranges for job postings. 

Large businesses with more than 100 employees also have to submit the demographics of their workers, such as their race and pay.

Minimum Wage Increase  

State minimum wage is set to increase to $15.50. 

California reached a five year goal last year to raise pay for some workers by $1 until 2022. Former Governor Jerry Brown signed the law which took the minimum wage up from $10 to $15. 

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