Sifter

As part of one of his last acts as governor, Gray Davis stated in a Sept. 22 press release, “Churros are popular in California. And everyone who has tasted one knows that freshly made churros taste better than warmed-over ones.” In other words, “There oughta be a law,” and sure nuff, there is. A bevy of new laws, including one dealing with churros, took effect Jan. 1, and although some business groups continue to denounce a few, they’re on the books and must be followed. Here’s a handful of the new laws and the bills that created them.

bill number what the law says

SB 90 Landlords must include receipts from repair work when itemizing security deposit deductions.

AB 196 Landlords can’t refuse to rent to people of ambiguous gender.

AB 1045 Churros, that tasty Mexican pastry, may now be deep-fried and sold from mobile trailers.

SB 892 Schools must maintain restrooms or forgo certain state funding.

AB 1627 A judge may choose to triple seatbelt fines or add $100 to a fine for parking in a space reserved for people with disabilities.

AB 301 Motorists may not watch DVDs or videos while driving.

AB 845 Requires accurate estimates of costs by moving companies.

SB 20 Adds fee to purchase of TVs and computer monitors to cover recycling program.

AB 76 Holds companies liable if they knowingly permit an employee to sexually harass another worker.

SB 420 The state must issue ID cards to medical-marijuana patients. (Note the “420.")

SB 3 Forbids use of death penalty on mentally retarded convicts.

SB 1032 No one may record a movie shown in a theater without permission. (Even Deathblow, Jerry Seinfeld.)

AB 235 Fans throwing stuff onto a sports field may be fined $250.