The Guardian – University of S. California
Jan 5 2015

15 New California Laws College Students Should Know About

by Teiko Yakobson

The beginning of 2015 marked the entrance of 930 new laws into the
California legislature. Here are some of the most pertinent ones:

1. “Yes Means Yes” in Universities: An “affirmative consent” policy
must be adopted by all universities in order to receive state
financial aid.

2. Cal Grant: Several changes are being made, including the
requirement for high schools to submit every graduating senior’s GPA
electronically for consideration. This will increase the number of Cal
Grant recipients.

3. Student Loans: Persons who have entered the country illegally are
now allowed to apply for state-funded student loans for the University
of California and California State University schools.

4. Lessons of Genocide: School curriculums will be updated in 2015 to
include instruction on the 1915 Armenian Genocide as well as the
massacres in Rwanda and Darfur. Lessons must contain oral accounts
from survivors and other witnesses.

5. Ban on Plastic Bags: Grocery stores must stop using single-use
plastic bags and begin distributing reusable ones instead. If plastic
bags are distributed, shoppers must be charged 10 cents, as many
counties have already implemented.

6. No More Pump-As-You-Please: Local governments are mandated to
implement groundwater management plans, and the state will intervene
as it sees necessary.

7. Sustainable Food: Landlords cannot prevent residents from growing
their own fruits and vegetables in portable containers.

8. “Selfie Revenge Porn” Protection: Previously, the law did not
protect sexual harassment victims who had their self-taken nude
photographs exposed online without their permission; now, nude
“selfies” will also warrant legal action.

9. Privacy from Drones: Taking photographs with drones will be
considered an invasion of privacy in some cases and prosecuted
appropriately.

10. Gender Rights: Transgender persons will be allowed to have
whichever gender they identified with listed on their death
certificate, instead of being forced to use their documented gender.

11. Birth Certificates: Same-sex couples have the option of listing
themselves as “Parent” on their children’s birth certificates instead
of being required to use the terms “Mother” or “Father.”

12. Animal Rights: Eggs laid or sold in California must come from hens
that were allowed enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around and
stretch their limbs. The same standards apply for calves for veal and
pregnant pigs.

13. “Audrie’s Law”: In retribution for Audrie Pott, the 15-year-old
girl who committed suicide after being sexually assaulted by her high
school peers while unconscious at a party, juveniles who force sexual
acts onto those in a “defenseless state” will face more severe
sentences.

14. Drivers’ Licenses: Residents staying in California illegally are
now eligible to apply for state driver’s licenses.

15. Healthy Workers: Anyone who works in California, including
full-time, part-time and temporary employees, for at least 30 days in
a year is entitled to paid sick leave.