New California Laws for 2022: More Duplexes, Fewer Ketchup Packets and All Mail-In Elections

A slate of new California laws set to go into effect on Jan. 1 touches on everything from police accountability to housing reform, ketchup packets, and how veterinarians gather blood donations for sick pets.

Some laws Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last year, such as a ban on the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and lawnmowers and a requirement that large retailers maintain a genderless kids area, don’t go into effect until a couple of years from now.

Here’s a round-up of some of the high-profile laws set to take hold New Year’s Day:

Affordable Housing

California’s sky-high housing costs compelled lawmakers to look at easing barriers to construction, resulting in the passage of a package of bills aimed at creating more homes.

Senate Bill 8 maintains limitations on local governments’ ability to “downzone” neighborhoods without planning to increase density in other areas until the year 2030. The law also regulates policies which would make it harder to build affordable homes…..(Excerpts from the Epoch Times)