California laws to take effect in 2026; here are key highlights

(The Center Square) – After a busy year for the California Legislature, hundreds of new state laws are taking effect in the new year, affecting everything from immigration to housing and health care. Here are some to watch for in 2026.

Immigration

Unaccompanied immigrant children in court – Assembly Bill 1261: This law requires the state to provide free legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings in federal court, as well as state-related immigration proceedings.

The bill also states that if an immigrant youth has private legal counsel, the state does not need to provide counsel to the child during immigration proceedings. The bill was introduced last year after the federal government canceled contracts with outside organizations to fund legal representation for immigrant children, according to the bill analysis. Similar state-run programs al...