Also, here's some of the new laws that go into effect today:
- The entire state will now ignore U.S. immigration law: Because it?s worked so well in San Francisco, California Democrats decided that the entire state should ignore federal immigration law. SB 54 forbids law enforcement officials from asking someone?s immigration or holding them for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents ? unless they?ve been convicted of a crime. AB 291 prohibits landlords (you know, like, private citizens who own private property) from reporting renters who are in the U.S. illegally.
- The DMV is raising vehicle registration fees: This is a minor blip in California?s war on cars, but it?s a frustrating one, because, really, this is the only thing that could make the DMV experience even worse. SB 1 increases vehicle registration fees between $25 and $175, depending on the vehicle?s value.
- Employers can?t ask applicants about their salary history: Private employers ? yes, private employers ? can?t ask people who want money from them silly questions like how much money they?ve made in the past or are making at their current job. It will be interesting to see the inevitable unintended consequences of AB 168. It will be at least a little more difficult for a company to gauge what a reasonable offer looks like without knowing what an applicant is currently making or recently made. Sure, employers will ask questions like, ?What would you like to make?? and smart applicants will clarify their expectations at some point in the interview process. But, really, it?s not the government?s business how an employer and an applicant work out any mutually beneficial agreement.
- You can make up your gender on official state IDs: California will abolish its requirement that a person must undergo ?clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition? if they want to change the sex on their birth certificate, which means that men can say they?re women, and vice-versa, on state IDs like driver?s licenses. Beginning in 2019, driver?s licenses will have three options for sex: male, female, and nonbinary.
Happy 2018 CALIFORNIA
