New laws target AI, e-bikes, school distractions and loud commercials.

Erik Chalhoub here. The calendar’s turn to a new year means a slew of new laws taking effect, and for 2026, that amounts to nearly 800 of them in California.

Many that took effect Jan. 1 are a sign of the times, namely centered around artificial intelligence. Others make you wonder why they are just now becoming laws.

Here’s a look at a handful of new laws.

It wasn’t me, it was AI: That argument won’t fly any more in court. Assembly Bill 316 prohibits a defendant, who used or developed AI, from claiming that it autonomously harmed a plaintiff. It’s your responsibility, not the computer’s.

The face(less) behind the keyboard: Senate Bill 243 requires companies to issue a disclaimer that their AI chatbots are indeed not a real human being. These companies are also required to prevent chatbots from encouraging users to harm themselves. And under Assembly Bill 489, AI cannot pose as a health care professional.

Up to speed: E-bikes are now required to have a red reflector or red light attached to them, under Assembly Bill 544. It’s now illegal to sell a tool that modifies the speed of an electric bicycle (Assembly Bill 545), and a class 3 e-bike (the fastest of them all) can not be sold to anyone under 16 years of age (Assembly Bill 965).

Living quarters: Landlords now have to provide a stove and a refrigerator in apartments they are renting out under Assembly Bill 628.

Warning signal: A light is now permitted on autonomous vehicles to show when they are not being operated by a human, thanks to Senate Bill 480. Now it’s easier to tell which vehicles not to pull in front of.

Leave them be: Cats can no longer be declawed under Assembly Bill 867.

New recipe: Tortillas and corn masa products sold in California must contain folic acid. The thinking behind Assembly Bill 1830 is that adding the nutrient to a staple food will help lessen the number of babies born with birth defects.

No distractions: While school districts across Monterey County have some form of ban on cell phone use in schools, Assembly Bill 3216 requires districts statewide to come up with a policy by July 1.

Turn it down: Also by July 1, the volume for commercials on streaming services must be the same as the show you were watching, per Senate Bill 576. No more scrambling for the remote to find the volume button when the ad break starts.

The state’s rulebook continues to grow. We’ll see what lawmakers come up with in 2026.