5 New California Laws Women Should Hear About
In recent efforts to enhance gender equality, the 2025-2026 California legislative session has resulted in groundbreaking new laws to help women. These new laws spotlight critical issues ranging from sexual abuse and reproductive rights to family leave and pay equity. By focusing on dismantling systemic barriers, the legislation empowers women with expanded rights and security. As these changes promise to reshape the landscape for women’s rights, it’s essential to explore them and how they can impact lives and communities.
The Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act also refers to Assembly Bill 250. It establishes a two-year revival window until December 31, 2027, for survivors of sexual assault to file legal claims that would have been barred by statute of limitations in some way. Survivors can file claims not just against people, but also private entities that may have enabled the abuse in some way. This includes lawsuits related to sexual assault as well. If companies enabled any kind of sexual harassment, wrongful termination related to harassment, or retaliation between victims and those reporting abuse. Something important to note about this law is the term private entities. Government and public entities are completely exempt under this law.
The Justice for Disabled Spouses Act also refers to California Senate Bill 258. Before this law, California had a very specific definition for rape involving an incapacitated person, which said “If a person who is not the spouse of the person committing the act is incapable, because of a mental disorder or developmental or physical disability, of giving legal consent” in the law. In simplistic terms, that means, if someone is impaired in any way, they cannot legally say “yes”, unless married to the other person. Logically, that statement makes no sense, and makes marital rape and abuse completely legal. The new version in SB 258 removes the spousal loophole, making marital rape prosecutable.
The Reproductive Health Protection Act is the informal name for Assembly Bill 260. The key point of this law is to help allow access to medical abortions, such as the pill Mifepristone. This law allows full legal immunity when it comes to abortion, from the companies providing the pill to the girls taking it, so no one can file any lawsuits against them. It allows total privacy, so pharmacists and doctors have the ability to hide this medication in medical records or on physical labels when sending it to you. The law requires insurance to cover this medication. This drug is allowed for minors (without parental consent) and incarcerated women.
California Senate Bill 590 is the Paid Leave for Chosen Family Act. Existing California law already gives 8 weeks of paid time off; one of the given reasons to use it includes caring for family. This bill expands the definition of family so people can get paid time off not just for caring for literal children, but for anyone in their life they consider close enough to be family. This bill will not officially go into law until 2028. Once official, there will be some proof required that the designated person mentioned is actually chosen, family. This law is beneficial to everyone, but it is highly beneficial to women, who often take a caregiving role, and may turn to promotions in jobs managing roles as mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters. It’s also helpful to single mothers or older women, who might not have people to help when they’re sick.
The Pay Equity Enforcement Act also refers to California Senate Bill 258. This law does several things to tighten pay equity laws in wording, so it’s easier for employees to sue for wage discrimination. First, it defines wages beyond money, as “Wages and wage rates include all forms of pay, including, but not limited to, salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock, stock options, profit sharing and bonus plans, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay, cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodations, reimbursement for travel expenses, and benefits.” Thus, people know discrimination based on benefits beyond cash alone. It legally includes genders beyond male and female. It allows workers to sue for up to six years in back pay.
