| Redrawing congressional district maps isn't the only legislative measure Californians should be concerned about. |
| Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a slew of new bills into law in recent weeks, including two that could help ease the housing crisis across the state. |
| Here's a look at some of those bills and why Californians might want to pay closer attention to them. |
A fridge for every apartment |
| A 2022 Times analysis found that California has more apartments on the market without refrigerators than any other state. |
| That could change as early as next year, after Newsom signed a bill requiring landlords to provide a refrigerator capable of safely storing food and a stove capable of generating heat for cooking on all new leases starting Jan. 1, 2026. |
| Existing state law requires landlords maintain adequate hot and cold running water, heat and weather proofing. Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne), who authored the bill, wanted to include a fridge and stove as necessities for a rental unit to be considered habitable. |
| The costs associated with moving into a new apartment can be a burden for renters, especially in Los Angeles, where the average monthly rent is $2,795, about $700 higher than the national average, according to Zillow. |
| With this new law, McKinnor told The Times that renters will have one less payment to think about when moving into their new home. |
Housing near transit stops |
| A new housing law that takes effect July 1, 2026, will allow construction of buildings up to nine stories tall near transit hubs in eight California counties. |
| The sweeping bill upzones areas across the state, overriding local zoning laws to allow taller, denser projects near subway stops, light rail stops and bus stops with dedicated lanes. |
| It's a huge win for YIMBY (Yes in My Back Yard) groups and developers, my colleague Jack Flemming writes; they say the quickest way to address California's housing crisis is to build housing — especially near transit stops to encourage public transportation and cut down on vehicle pollution. |
| But it's a blow for some cities, including L.A., which say that the bill brings a one-size-fits-all approach to a problem that needs local control. |
An office to monitor perceived antisemitism in schools |
| One of the most hotly contested education-related bills this year has been signed into law. It will set up a state Office for Civil Rights to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination in California schools. |
| It was the result of dissatisfaction, largely among a coalition of Jewish groups, with the way ethnic studies has been taught in some California classrooms. The critics say that, in some schools, ethnic studies have improperly focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that lessons reflect a bias against Jews. |
| The bill drew strong opposition from teachers unions, faculty groups, Muslim organizations and liberal groups worried about the suppression of discussion about current events in the Middle East, my colleague Howard Blume writes. |
Restrictions on puppy sales |
| Three animal welfare bills signed into law last week will restrict puppy sales and strengthen protections for buyers. |
| The bills were introduced as a result of a Times investigation last year that detailed how designer dogs are trucked into California from out-of-state commercial breeders and resold by people saying they are small, local operators. |
- Assembly Bill 519 bans online marketplaces where dogs are sold by brokers. The law applies to any person or business that sells or transports a dog bred by someone else for profit.
- Assembly Bill 506 voids pet-purchase contracts involving California buyers if the seller requires a nonrefundable deposit.
- Senate Bill 312 requires pet sellers to share health certificates with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, which then must make them available without redactions to the public.
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A ban on declawing cats |
| It is now illegal to declaw a cat in California, a practice that lawmakers and animal advocates argued was outdated and inhumane. |
| The new law bars veterinarians from performing the procedure, which involves amputating the first bone in each of a cat's toes or severing its tendons so that it can't extend its claws. |
| As The Times' Melody Gutierrez writes, most owners do not declaw their cats, but the practice has been used by some to prevent the animal from scratching people, furniture or other pets. |
| The California Veterinary Medical Assn., which represents veterinarians, opposed the bill, saying it sets a dangerous precedent in limiting the scope of one profession. |
Today's top stories |
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| A dash camera captured the moments before an LAPD squad car broadsided two brothers driving in the San Fernando Valley in June 2024. (LAPD) |
When police are bad drivers: LAPD crashes kill — and payouts soar past $90 million |
- Two brothers injured in a crash caused by a speeding LAPD officer recently received an $18-million legal settlement, the most city taxpayers have ever paid to resolve a police collision case.
- Although lawsuits over police shootings and protest tactics tend to receive the most scrutiny, officer-involved traffic incidents remain an intractable and costly problem.
- Even before the brothers' record settlement, the city had spent at least $90 million in negotiated payouts or verdicts in more than 1,200 lawsuits related to bad police driving over the last decade.
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Diane Keaton, 'a complete original': Celebrities react to the film icon's death |
- Diane Keaton, the actor who made film history — and won an Oscar — as the title character in Woody Allen's beloved 1977 romantic comedy "Annie Hall," died Saturday. She was 79.
- Tributes poured in from those who worked with and admired Keaton, including Bette Midler, Kate Hudson, Steve Martin and Josh Gad.
- Here are 10 of the most important films from the legendary actor.
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Outbursts by Katie Porter threaten gubernatorial ambitions |
- Two videos have emerged showing gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter in an unfavorable light. In one, she threatens to end a TV interview, and in another, she curses at a staffer, sparking scrutiny of her temperament.
- The recordings went viral nationally, with rivals seizing on the controversy while supporters defended her as a fighter against powerful interests.
- How Porter responds in coming days could determine her viability in next year's race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to Democratic and Republican political strategists.
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What else is going on |
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Commentary and opinions |
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This morning's must read |
| | | American doctors and nurses volunteering in the Gaza Strip have helped the world understand the humanitarian crisis unfolding there. But bearing witness comes at a steep personal cost. | | | |
| Keep up with California | Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. | | | | | |
For your downtime |
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| The walls inside Cento Raw Bar in West Adams are meant to evoke a Mediterranean cave. (Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times) |
Going out |
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Staying in |
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A question for you: What frustrates you the most about parking in L.A.? |
| Loretta writes: "I have been in my car after parking it and watched in horror as the car in front of me backs up into mine. And I honked the horn. This has happened several times. I have had to replace the license plate frame. Sometimes the car is scratched. Sometimes the driver takes off. And many cars have backup cameras now, as does mine!" |
| Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. |
And finally ... your photo of the day |
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| (Brandon Kaipo Moningka / For The Times) |
| Today's great photo is from Times contributor Brandon Kaipo Moningka. The subject is Shirley Kurata, and the image was snapped outside the shop of the L.A.-born costume designer, who chatted with The Times about fashion and the key to loving Los Angeles. |
Have a great day, from the Essential California team |
| Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo MartÃn, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters |
| How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com. |
