New laws in California took effect in January that will affect foster care, what you wear, and if music lyrics can be used against you in a court of law.
Foster Care and the LGBTQ Community
January 2023 welcomed a raft of new laws going into effect, many of which help to protect LGBTQ+ families. Assembly Bill 2466 expands foster parenting possibilities because families who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer will no longer be denied foster children simply because of those identifications. Also in AB 2466, the state will no longer use the phrase “hard-to-place” children, but will instead replace it with more accurate terminologies.
Links:
https://qvoicenews.com/2023/01/03/2023-california-laws-that-will-help-the-lgbtq-community/
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2466
California Bans New Fur Products
2019’s Assembly Bill 44, which prohibits the sale, trade, and manufacturing of new animal fur products, will finally take effect this year in California, making it the first state to ban the sale of such clothing and accessories. Not included in the ban are used, tribal, or religious items that have fur, and any items with hides, skins, and leathers. Nonadherence to the law can result in fines of up to $500 for first offenders and up to $1000 for repeat offenses within a year.
Link:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB44
Rap Lyrics No Longer Accepted as Evidence
California leads the way in protecting creative content, marking the first time a state has banned the use of music videos and lyrics in a court of law. Citing the tendency toward racial bias and “undue prejudice” against certain musical forms, Assembly Bill 2799, which was passed unanimously in 2022, requires that judges be given time to review creative content to deem its value as evidence before allowing it to be admissible in court.
Link:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2799
