A slew of new California state laws will be implemented in 2025, impacting everything from your commute to your paycheck and even your job. One big change coming to California is AB-1955, better known as the Safety Act. It prevents educators from being required to disclose information related to students’ sexual orientation, gender identity or expression without the student’s consent, unless otherwise required by law. Despite existing laws that already prohibit school districts from outing students without their consent, Bay Area Attorney Adanté Pointer, who specializes in civil rights, said the Safety Act helps set it in stone with clarity. “[In previous laws,] it’s already been determined to be a student’s privacy right, wherein the student’s teachers and administrators are not allowed to provide information to parents as it relates to outing the students,” Pointer said. “The new law essentially codifies that and makes it much more enhanced.” Changes are also coming to workplaces across the state, with AB-2123 and AB-2499 expanding paid sick and family leave. AB-2499 specifically applies to when an employee or a family member of the employee is a victim of a crime or violence. The law allows the employee to take paid state leave time off for issues that relate to them being a victim, instead of the typical process of having to take two weeks out of vacation time before being able to tap into the paid state family leave. “You can essentially preserve your vacation time and use paid state leave, family leave, in order to take care of your family emergencies,” Pointer said. Added accommodation for these employees is also required by the employer, ensuring that the employee is safe and allow time off for them to attend court in any type of proceeding. Another law impacting workplaces is SB-1100, which prohibits employers from requiring a valid driver license, unless essential for the job. The law addresses discrimination against individuals without licenses, previously potentially disqualified from new jobs. “The new law would essentially tell employers, look, you do not need to ask nor can you ask about a person whether they have a valid license unless driving is an essential or required function of the job,” Pointer said.