What new California laws take effect January 1, 2027, and how do they affect San Diego?
On January 1, 2027, the California minimum wage rises to $17.40 an hour and the City of San Diego's to $18.35. New state laws also bar social media platforms from giving under-16s addictive features like autoplay (AB 1709), and other bills signed in fall 2026 ban speculative "ghost" ticket sales (AB 1349) and toughen DUI penalties. Unless a bill says otherwise, new California laws take effect January 1.
- State minimum wage 2027
- $17.40/hour
- City of San Diego 2027
- $18.35/hour
- Exempt salary minimum 2027
- $72,384/year
- Default start date
- January 1, 2027
Applies in unincorporated San Diego County and cities without their own rate
For anyone working 2+ hours a week inside city limits
$1,392 a week, up from $70,304
Unless a bill says otherwise (CalChamber)
The short version
- California minimum wage: $17.40/hour on Jan 1, 2027, up from $16.90 (announced July 31, 2026).
- City of San Diego minimum wage: $18.35/hour on Jan 1, 2027, up from $17.75 (City release, Sept 30, 2026).
- AB 1709, signed Sept 10, 2026: no addictive feeds or autoplay for users under 16, starting Jan 1, 2027.
- AB 1349 bans selling tickets the seller doesn't have yet; four DUI bills (SB 907, AB 1546, AB 1685, AB 1687) were signed in September 2026.
- Not until later: disposable vape sales ban (AB 762) and jury-duty opt-out for people 80 and over (AB 1359) start Jan 1, 2028.
Governor Newsom finished signing bills from the 2026 session in early October. Unless a bill says otherwise, new laws take effect January 1, 2027. We list only bills reported as signed, plus the 2027 minimum wage rates for the state and the City of San Diego, all checked November 3, 2026. Bills that were vetoed or stalled are at the bottom.
$17.40
California minimum wage
Jan 1, 2027 (was $16.90)
$18.35
City of San Diego minimum wage
Jan 1, 2027 (was $17.75)
$20.50
City hotel and amusement-park minimum
July 1, 2027 (now $19.00)
Signed laws that touch everyday life
| Law | What changes | Who it affects | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| State minimum wage | $17.40/hour; exempt salary minimum $72,384 | Workers in unincorporated SD County and cities without their own rate | Jan 1, 2027 |
| City of SD minimum wage | $18.35/hour; tips don't count toward it | Anyone working 2+ hours a week in city limits | Jan 1, 2027 |
| AB 1709 | No addictive features (personalized feeds, autoplay) for users under 16 without age verification | Teens, parents, social apps | Jan 1, 2027 |
| AB 1349 | Bans selling tickets the seller doesn't have yet; bans tools that get around purchase limits | Concert and game ticket buyers, resellers | Jan 1, 2027* |
| SB 907, AB 1546, AB 1685, AB 1687 | Third DUI in 10 years can be a felony; harsher penalties for repeat offenders | Drivers | Jan 1, 2027* |
| AB 1640 (reported signed; see note) | Bans reselling restaurant reservations for more than the original price | Diners, reservation resellers | Jan 1, 2027* |
| SB 1149 | Bereavement leave covers a "designated person" | Employees at employers with 5+ workers | Jan 1, 2027* |
| AB 1331 | No employer monitoring in workplace bathrooms | Employees | Jan 1, 2027* |
State minimum wage
- What changes
- $17.40/hour; exempt salary minimum $72,384
- Who it affects
- Workers in unincorporated SD County and cities without their own rate
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027
City of SD minimum wage
- What changes
- $18.35/hour; tips don't count toward it
- Who it affects
- Anyone working 2+ hours a week in city limits
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027
AB 1709
- What changes
- No addictive features (personalized feeds, autoplay) for users under 16 without age verification
- Who it affects
- Teens, parents, social apps
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027
AB 1349
- What changes
- Bans selling tickets the seller doesn't have yet; bans tools that get around purchase limits
- Who it affects
- Concert and game ticket buyers, resellers
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027*
SB 907, AB 1546, AB 1685, AB 1687
- What changes
- Third DUI in 10 years can be a felony; harsher penalties for repeat offenders
- Who it affects
- Drivers
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027*
AB 1640 (reported signed; see note)
- What changes
- Bans reselling restaurant reservations for more than the original price
- Who it affects
- Diners, reservation resellers
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027*
SB 1149
- What changes
- Bereavement leave covers a "designated person"
- Who it affects
- Employees at employers with 5+ workers
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027*
AB 1331
- What changes
- No employer monitoring in workplace bathrooms
- Who it affects
- Employees
- Starts
- Jan 1, 2027*
Sources: City of San Diego, National Law Review, Common Sense Media, CalMatters, KQED, California Employment Law Report; checked Nov 3, 2026. *January 1 is the default start date. The reports we read didn't give a specific date for these bills. AB 1640's signing comes from one law-firm roundup; we couldn't confirm it on the state bill site.
Your paycheck
If you work inside City of San Diego limits, your minimum goes to $18.35 on January 1. Tips and gratuities can't count toward it. Workers can file a free complaint with the City's Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement. In unincorporated San Diego County and cities without their own rate, the state's $17.40 applies. City hotel and amusement-park workers are on a separate scale: $19.00 now, rising to $20.50 on July 1, 2027, while event-center workers go from $21.06 to $22.00. Approved agricultural employees get a $19.75 minimum under AB 2646. For every local rate and how to check your pay, see San Diego minimum wage, and for tipping norms, how much to tip.
Working a downtown restaurant shift? City limits mean $18.35 an hour from Jan 1, 2027, before tips.
Phones, tickets and going out
AB 1709 (signed September 10, 2026) bars social media platforms from giving users under 16 addictive features such as personalized feeds and autoplay, and requires age verification first. Fines run up to $50,000 per child for knowing violations. AB 1349 (signed September 27) bans speculative "ghost" ticket listings and software that gets around ticket limits. It does not cap resale prices; a separate 10% markup cap (AB 1720) stalled in August. AB 1640, which a law-firm roundup of signed bills lists, makes it illegal to resell restaurant reservations for more than they cost. To-go cocktails with a meal were extended through 2029 by an urgency bill (AB 2663), which is already in effect.
Buying resale seats? Under AB 1349, sellers can't list tickets they don't have yet.
Drivers and bigger changes after 2027
Four DUI bills were signed in late September 2026. AB 1546 lets prosecutors charge a third DUI within 10 years as a felony; before, that took a fourth. SB 907 makes it easier to bring a murder charge against a drunk driver who has a prior DUI arrest. AB 1685 raises license points for a DUI killing from two to three. AB 1687 requires a six-year license revocation in some repeat cases. Two laws signed this year start later. AB 762 bans importing or making battery-embedded disposable vapes after January 1, 2027, with a sales ban by January 1, 2028. AB 1359 lets people 80 and over permanently opt out of jury duty, starting January 1, 2028.
When the 2026 bills kick in
- Sept 10-30, 2026
Bills signed
AB 1709 Sept 10; AB 1349 Sept 27; DUI package late Sept
- Jan 1, 2027
Most laws start
Minimum wages, AB 1709, ticket and DUI laws; disposable vape imports end
- July 1, 2027
Mid-year changes
City hospitality wage $20.50; SB 947 'No Robo Bosses' rules
- Jan 1, 2028
Later starts
Disposable vape sales ban; jury opt-out for 80+
- Sept 10-30, 2026
Bills signed
AB 1709 Sept 10; AB 1349 Sept 27; DUI package late Sept
- Jan 1, 2027
Most laws start
Minimum wages, AB 1709, ticket and DUI laws; disposable vape imports end
- July 1, 2027
Mid-year changes
City hospitality wage $20.50; SB 947 'No Robo Bosses' rules
- Jan 1, 2028
Later starts
Disposable vape sales ban; jury opt-out for 80+
Sources: CalMatters, Common Sense Media, Waste Dive, City of San Diego, California Employment Law Report. Checked Nov 3, 2026.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 3, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
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SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
City of San Diego · September 30, 2026
City rate, tips rule, complaint process
City of San Diego · Checked November 3, 2026
$19.00 / $20.50 hotels and amusement parks; $21.06 / $22.00 event centers
National Law Review · August 11, 2026
$17.40, prior $16.90, exempt salary $72,384
NBC 7 San Diego · August 2, 2026
Unincorporated county follows state rate
Common Sense Media · September 10, 2026
AB 1709 details and Jan 1, 2027 effective date
CalMatters · September 27, 2026
AB 1349; AB 1720 stalled
KQED / CalMatters · September 27, 2026
SB 907, AB 1546, AB 1685, AB 1687
California Employment Law Report (Proskauer) · October 2, 2026
AB 1640, AB 2663, SB 1149, AB 1331, AB 2646, SB 947
Waste Dive · September 29, 2026
AB 762 import/manufacture 2027, sales 2028
CalMatters · September 15, 2026
AB 1359, age 80+, Jan 1, 2028
CalMatters · October 2, 2026
Signed and vetoed bills overview
- BackgroundHR Watchdog articles
CalChamber · October 14, 2026
New laws take effect Jan 1, 2027 unless otherwise noted