Sonoma beware: The new laws most likely to impact you in 2019

Here's a look at a dozen of the more notable state and local laws that went into effect on Jan. 1 and what they might mean to you.

A few of the new laws were drafted in response to specific events – the 2017 wildfires and the raft of school shootings, for example. Others, like the raise in the minimum wage and changes to carpool lane decals, have been years in the making.

With more than 1,000 bills signed by outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018, we tried to pick the ones most relevant to life in Sonoma Valley.

1. The last straw. In local restaurants throughout California, customers will only be given a straw with a drink upon request. California is the first state to restrict full-service restaurants from giving out plastic straws with drink orders. The new law applies to full-service restaurants – places where you're escorted or assigned a table and you have food and drinks delivered to you. If a restaurant gives out a straw without a customer asking, it could be fined.

2. Got milk? Most restaurants that offer kid meals will now include milk or water as the default drink of choice. Parents can still request a sugar soda if they want. The bill is designed to combat childhood obesity and other diseases linked to sugar consumption.

3. Johnny don't get your gun. Californians under the age of 21 can no longer legally buy firearms. The age at which one can purchase a long gun in California increased from 18 to 21 this week, and handguns remain at 21. The state also now requires an eight-hour gun safety training class for anyone hoping to obtain a concealed weapons permit. More than a dozen other new gun laws also took affect in California this week.

4. Garage door safety. At least five people died during the 2017 wildfires because they were unable to get their garage doors to open after the power went out. Going forward, any new garage doors installed must have a backup battery that can lift the door in the event of a power outage. The bill also provides for a civil penalty of $1,000 for 'every offending garage door opener.'

5. Animal welfare. From 2019 forward, pet store owners in California can only sell dogs, cats and rabbits from shelters, animal control or rescue groups, or they face a $500 fine. The store must post the name of the agency where it got the animal; no breeders will be allowed.

6. Mothers rights. Employers with five or more employees must provide a private, enclosed room for lactating mothers to pump or breastfeed. It can be temporary but it can't be a bathroom. Employers are also required to provide a reasonable amount of break time to nurse or express breast milk and the room provided must be in close proximity to the employee's work area.

7. Earning power. California's minimum wage has increased to $12 for companies with 26 or more employees and $11 for smaller companies. Seven other states – Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York and Washington state – are joining California on the path to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour by 2023.

8. Safety measures. Anyone convicted of a DUI will need to blow into an ignition-locking device in order to start their car in 2019. The goal is to keep the roads safer, while still allowing those with DUI convictions to drive. Convicted drunk drivers in California will be responsible for the cost of the device and will be required to use it for 12 to 48 months.

9. Carpool lanes. In an effort to combat overcrowded carpool lanes, a white or green decal on your low emission car no longer gets you access to HOV lanes. If you own a car with these decals, you may be eligible to request a red decal, which would give you access to the HOV lanes until Jan. 1, 2022. The DMV will also issue light violet color decals in 2019 that are good for HOV use until 2023. More specifics are online at ww2.arb.ca.gov/carpool-stickers.

10. Cycling safety. Hit-and-run laws have been expanded to include bicyclists on bike paths. That means if a bicyclist hits a person, resulting in a death or injury, the bicyclist must stay at the scene or face charges.

11. No more bail. Beginning in October, California will get rid of cash bail for suspects awaiting trial. Instead of putting up money, people charged with a felony will be supervised by a government agency or business contracted to handle that task. People arrested for most misdemeanors will be released without bail; those who are deemed high risk, including those arrested for violent felonies, will not be released. California is the first state to end cash bail.

12. Voting is now easier. No stamps, no problem. Election officials must now include a return envelope with prepaid postage for vote-by-mail ballots in all California elections. The goal of the bill is to eliminate a barrier that disproportionately discouraged voting by young adults because they are less to have stamps on hand.

Email Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.