State and Local Policy
New Bills Propose Consumer-Friendly Regulations
As insurers hike rates and cancel policies for thousands of homeowners across California, a new state report has proposed a series of reforms to prevent the property insurance market from cratering amid increasingly catastrophic wildfires — but some consumer advocates say it doesn’t go far enough.
Cities scramble to comply with or fight major state housing law
For California’s local governments hoping to have some say over where and how large apartment buildings get packed near major transit stops, it’s crunch time. Last fall, state lawmakers made it legal for developers to build mid-rises — some as tall as nine stories — in major metro neighborhoods near train, subway and certain dedicated bus stops.
What to know as hundreds of new California laws take effect in 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed hundreds of laws into effect in the months leading up to 2026, many of which aim to tackle a slew of issues, including immigration, artificial intelligence, consumerism and disaster recovery. Gov. Newsom signed a 19-bill package aimed at protecting consumers and reducing the overall cost of living.
New California tool can stop brokers from selling your personal online data
Starting this year, a single request form will allow Californians to demand that data brokers delete their personal information and refrain from collecting or selling it in the future. Third parties are constantly lurking as you navigate the internet, collecting data they can later aggregate and sell, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center.