Federal Weekly
Federal and state rules, explained for California businesses
Since July 2024, California has required most employers to maintain a written workplace violence prevention plan, train employees on it every year, and log incidents. Many small businesses still do not know the rule exists.
August 17, 2026
SB 399 made mandatory meetings about an employer's political or religious views unlawful. A federal judge enjoined it statewide in September 2025 on preemption and First Amendment grounds. The Ninth Circuit heard argument in July 2026 and has not ruled.
August 17, 2026
Three city ordinances create limited paths for cannabis businesses with tax debt, expired licenses, or abandoned applications to seek renewal or reentry. They do not erase the debt or authorize an unlicensed business to keep operating.
August 23, 2026
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August 26, 2026
Los Angeles cannabis licensing ordinances 188998, 188999, and 189000 take effect
September 1, 2026
2027 DCR license renewal period opens
November 2, 2026
Regular 2027 DCR renewal period closes
November 30, 2026
Late 2027 DCR renewal period closes
January 1, 2027
Next statewide CPI adjustment expected to take effect
California's Private Attorneys General Act lets employees sue over Labor Code violations on the state's behalf. A 2024 reform deal capped penalties for employers who can show they took reasonable steps to comply. Here is how the new structure works.
August 17, 2026
Federal beneficial ownership reporting reversed direction repeatedly for two years. In August 2026 a final rule settled it: companies formed in the United States are permanently exempt, and FinCEN is deleting what U.S. persons already filed.
August 17, 2026
California's privacy law does not cover every business. It covers businesses that cross one of three thresholds, and the obligations that follow are substantial. Here is how to tell which side of the line you are on.
August 17, 2026
The statewide minimum is $16.90 an hour this year, but fast food, healthcare, and dozens of city ordinances set higher rates. What an employer actually owes depends on industry and street address.
August 17, 2026
The federal Americans with Disabilities Act sets the standard, but a state law, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, adds automatic money damages. Together they put roughly a third of the nation's accessibility lawsuits in one state. Here is how the system works and what it covers.
August 17, 2026