California Today: New laws in 2022

Changes to the minimum wage, composting rules, police procedures and more.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 10, 2022 By Soumya Karlamangla California Today, Writer It's Monday. I'm sharing some changes to California law that you may have missed. Plus, what happens to a prison town if the prison disappears? A delivery worker finishing his job through the courier app Postmates in Los Angeles.Emily Berl for The New York Times A new year is upon us, and 2022 means not only the arrival of Year 3 of the coronavirus pandemic (yikes), but also the implementation of hundreds of new laws in California. There are far too many to list, so today I'm highlighting six important changes that went into effect on Jan. 1. Later in the week, I'll share some more new laws worth knowing about. Food-delivery app tips This new law prohibits food-delivery apps, such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, from keeping any portion of gratuity meant for restaurant workers. The rule also requires that the companies itemize customers' bills and disclose all added fees. The measure is an effort to increase billing transparency and regulate the growing app-based food-delivery industry. Permanent mail-in ballots All California voters will receive mail-in ballots for future elections, regardless of whether they signed up for absentee voting. Californians have already gotten a taste of universal mail-in voting during the pandemic, but the official change makes California the eighth state in the nation with such a law. Minimum wage bump As of Jan. 1, businesses with more than 25 employees must pay their employees at least $15 an hour, while smaller businesses must offer at least $14 hourly. The raises are the latest consequence of a landmark law that pushed the state's minimum wage to the highest in the nation. It's important to note, however, that cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco already required employers to pay at least $15 an hour. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Fast-food workers demanding a $15 hourly minimum wage in East Los Angeles in March. Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press Mandatory composting Californians are now required to toss excess food waste into green waste bins, rather than the trash, as the state embarks on the largest mandatory composting effort in the nation. The law requires that local governments provide organic recycling collection to all residents and businesses. The effort is intended to keep landfills clear of food scraps, which contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Read more from The Associated Press. Publishing arrest photos Law enforcement agencies are now prohibited from posting on social media the mug shots of most people arrested and accused of nonviolent crimes. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Supporters of the new rules say that publishing such photos on Twitter and Facebook can irreparably harm the lives of people who have not yet been proven guilty. "Spousal rape" elimination This law eliminated the section on spousal rape in the California penal code to ensure that people convicted of raping their spouses face the same punishments as other rapists. Groups that advocated for the change said that state law had previously allowed more lenient treatment of people who raped their spouses, and that many such perpetrators had not been not required to register as sex offenders. Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Waiting in line to be tested for Covid-19 at Ohlone Elementary School in Hercules on Friday.John G Mabanglo/EPA, via Shutterstock The latest on Omicron and the pandemic Over the weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed spending another $2.7 billion to battle the pandemic as cases soar. Early data hints at Omicron's potential toll across America. How to think about Covid data right now. Check case rates in your area. A rent strike demonstration in front of the entrance of the Los Angeles City Hall in 2020.Etienne Laurent/EPA, via Shutterstock The rest of the news Rent relief: California officials announced Sunday that they received an additional $62 million in federal funds for rent relief, CBS Sacramento reports. Giant telescope: Everything is going great for the powerful telescope sent to space two weeks ago. So far. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TV actor dies: Dwayne Hickman, the affable actor who starred in the "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," died on Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 87. Crash near Whiteman Airport: A train slammed into a downed plane in Pacoima on Sunday afternoon, NBC News reports. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA Solar farm: Construction has begun on a major solar project in eastern Kern, The Bakersfield Californian reports. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Prison town: The economy of Susanville, located high in the Sierra Nevada, is built on incarceration. So what happens when California starts closing its prisons? Power outage: More than 3,000 households in the Sierra Nevada have been without power for two weeks after a severe winter storm, The Sacramento Bee reports. Skier found: The body of a skier who was reported missing near Tahoe on Christmas has been found three miles away from the resort where he was riding, NBC News reports. A deluxe nigiri box by Sushi Kaneyoshi in Los Angeles.Rozette Rago for The New York Times What we're eating Los Angeles is America's sprawling sushi capital. Jim Wilson/The New York Times Where we're traveling Today's travel tip comes from Paul Spitzmueller, a reader who lives in and recommends Oakland: "The culture and food are thriving amidst the pandemic with diversity in choices as varied as the people walking the streets and paths around downtown's Lake Merritt. I love to spend a Saturday with my wife and our dog, walking in one of the many regional parks and our favorite is the French Trail in Redwood Regional. Following that, we might visit the Grand Lake Farmers Market or visit any of our favorite dim sum spots in Chinatown, before window shopping in the Temescal, or strolling through Rockridge, Piedmont, or the upcoming Laurel. An evening is easily capped off with drinks at one of the many breweries, or standby cocktails and fare in Uptown." Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. Tell us What's the best part of winter in California? Email us at CAtoday@nytimes.com with your traditions, recommendations and opinions. misterdebs photography And before you go, some good news On Dec. 22, Darrick Lo and Adrienne Lei married at San Francisco City Hall in front of their family, friends and cat, Nina. Years earlier, in 2015, the two met at an art museum in New York City. Lo approached Lei and said hello, but left without giving her his phone number. The two had no way to contact one another. So how did they end up together? Read the story in The Times. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Soumya P.S. Here's today's Mini Crossword, and a clue: Library stock (5 letters). Jordan Allen and Jonah Candelario contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for California Today from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

Wall of silence: Home Office suggests it is dangerous to tell public details about turning Carrickfergus hotel into base for foreign nationals

Covid: Northern Ireland to hit peak of Omicron wave in next couple of weeks says Chief Medical Officer

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Subscribe              Jan 10, 2022             Michael Cousins Acting Managing Editor Good morning In the news today: * Belfast radically reimagined in bold plan by city's chamber of commerce. * Both the PSNI and the Garda have declined to comment on reports that the person being sought in connection with the online abuse of Diane Dodds resides in the Republic. * The government has rebuffed attempts to find out any details about its housing of foreign nationals in Carrickfergus. * Truss pledge to suspend protocol if necessary welcomed by DUP. Opinion: * Henry McDonald: I have no sympathy for the unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic. * Morning View: The Falklands War was a perilous moment in British history. Get unlimited access and 70% fewer ads If you value what we do, why not try a digital subscription? Join us today from just £1 a month for the first three months           Criminalising conversion therapy: Northern Ireland must avoid – not mimic – Canada's new law says transgender writer           Wall of silence: Home Office suggests it is dangerous to tell public details about turning Carrickfergus hotel into base for foreign nationals           Belfast radically reimagined in bold plan by city's chamber of commerce           Police closing in on Dodds abuser           The NI-born American Revolution war hero who printed the Declaration of Independence           Covid: Northern Ireland to hit peak of Omicron wave in next couple of weeks says Chief Medical Officer               Henry McDonald: I have no sympathy for the unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic     The Falklands War was a perilous moment in British history                           Dan McFarland highlights execution issue as Ulster suffer in Munster             Limavady United's Andrew Law looking for league progress off Irish Cup pride     Lee Bonis' Larne transfer from Portadown offers 'something totally different'     Josh Doherty to offer Portadown 'tremendous pedigree' as fifth January signing                 View more news

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