For new 2013 laws, click here. The laws below became active in 2012.
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Here's our compendium of laws that take effect on January 1. Some of these you'll no doubt enjoy reading about more than you will complying with; others provide tangible benefits.
Education
From our education reporter Ana Tintocalis...
Transitional Kindergarten gets underway
One of the more intriguing education bills to go into effect is SB 1381, also known as the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010. The legislation was sponsored by Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
The law requires children to be five years old by Sept 1 of any given year in order to enter kindergarten. Kids that don’t fall into that age requirement will attend a new grade – called Transitional Kindergarten. The state’s 700 districts with elementary schools have the next three years to ramp up these programs.
LGBT History in the classroom
AB 48, sponsored by Mark Leno (D-SF), requires California public schools to include lessons on the LGBT community and their historic contributions. Teachers are also required to include lessons about Native Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders and people with disabilities. No word yet, however, on specific curricula teachers must follow.
The DREAM Act is realized
AB 130 is the first half of the controversial California DREAM Act of 2011. College students who are undocumented immigrants in California will now be able to qualify for privately funded financial aid.
The second part of the law, granting undocumented immigrants access to state financial aid, will go into effect in 2013.
Getting Ready for the Common Core Standards
AB 124, AB 250, SB 140 are a series of wonky bills that collectively reflect California’s effort to develop a national set of academic standards called the Common Core Standards, which schools across the country have been told to adopt.
The bills will allow California, one of 45 states helping to craft the new standards, to develop curricula around them, as well as develop instructional materials and ensure they also apply to students who speak English as a second language.
Health care
From our health care reporter, Sarah Varney...
When it comes to health care, 2011 was the year of great contradictions. Under continuing pressure to cut budgets, California slashed funding for programs that serve the elderly, the disabled and the poor. At the same time, the state adopted a slew of new statutes to help implement changes in federal health care law.
Medical Loss Ratio requirement
A new state law will require insurers that offer individual and small group coverage to spend at least 80 percent of premiums on actual medical care. Starting January 1, insurers who don’t meet that standard will have to send rebates to policyholders.
This requirement is actually part of the federal government's Affordable Care Act, signed into law in 2010. Many states, like California, which support implementation of that law have passed their own legislation to mirror it. Some states are putting some of the provisions in place earlier than the federal law mandates or are codifying them in case Congress or the Supreme Court nullify part or all of the Affordable Care Act.
On the legislative agenda for 2012, state lawmakers will tackle more changes in health insurance regulations needed to get ready for the opening of an online insurance shopping site called the Exchange, also mandated by the federal health law.
New health benefits
Under a law taking effect in July, consumers will see several new health benefits. For families with autistic children, health insurers will have to cover a type of commonly prescribed but costly behavioral therapy. And women who work at smaller companies -- with five or more employees -- will now be able to continue their health insurance coverage while on pregnancy leave.
Other laws of note
From KQED News staff...