Recent California regulations affecting small businesses
Page 3 of 8 • Last updated May 1, 2026
114 new California regulations affecting small businesses have been published in the past 30 days. These cover compliance updates from state agencies, regional authorities, and licensing boards — flagged here when they change a rule, fee, deadline, or eligibility threshold. Recent activity has clustered in Compliance, alongside cross-cutting administrative changes. Each listing links to the official notice so you can read the full text and respond if it touches your business.
- Department of Public Health - Title 17, Section 23010 Industrial Hemp Intoxicating CannabinoidsMay 1, 2026
Department of Public Health permanently adopts amended regulations classifying additional intoxicating cannabinoids as THC under Health and Safety Code section 111921.7(b).
- Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery - Rulemaking Petition Decision on Beverage Container Recycling ProgramMay 1, 2026
CalRecycle denied a rulemaking petition to amend Beverage Container Recycling Program regulations on volume spikes and prepayment controls, though committed to a public meeting on prepayment controls as alternative action.
- California Fish and Game Commission - Notice of Decision Not to Proceed with Pronghorn Antelope Hunting RegulationsMay 1, 2026
California Fish and Game Commission canceled its proposed amendment to pronghorn antelope hunting regulations published January 23, 2026.
- Office of Administrative Law - Public Information Sessions Scheduled in 2026May 1, 2026 • Impact: none
Office of Administrative Law offers free public information sessions on May 12 and October 13, 2026, teaching small-business owners about regulations, rulemaking processes, and petition procedures.
- California Fish and Game Commission - Notice of Receipt of Petition to List Mount Pinos Sooty GrouseMay 1, 2026
California Fish and Game Commission received a petition March 25, 2026, to list Mount Pinos sooty grouse as threatened or endangered; CDFW recommendation due August 2026.
- Department of Fish and Wildlife - Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act Consistency Determination 1653-2026-182-001-R1 Upper Sacramento River Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration Program Phase 2 Rockwads ProjectMay 1, 2026
California Department of Fish and Wildlife approves the Sacramento Valley Ecological Restoration Foundation's Upper Sacramento River habitat restoration project installing 25 instream structures for juvenile Chinook salmon near Redding under the Hab…
- Department of Fish and Wildlife - California Endangered Species Act Consistency Determination 2080R-2026-005-02(R) Big Chico Creek Iron Canyon Fish Passage ProjectMay 1, 2026
CDFW determined that the Big Chico Creek Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project meets California Endangered Species Act consistency requirements with specified avoidance and monitoring measures for Spring-run Chinook salmon habitat restoration.
- Department of Fish and Wildlife - Arroyo Seco Fish Passage Project Consistency Determination (Tracking 1653-2026-184-001-R4)May 1, 2026
CDFW consistency determination for Arroyo Seco River fish passage project involving concrete sill modification and roughened channel installation by Monterey County Resource Conservation District under tracking number 1653-2026-184-001-R4.
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Title 15, Section 3400 and 3401 Overfamiliarity RegulationsMay 1, 2026
CDCR proposes to repeal and amend Title 15 sections 3400 and 3401 to clarify overfamiliarity regulations between employees and incarcerated persons, standardizing staff procedures with no fiscal impact.
- Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Title 15 Overfamiliarity Guidelines (Sections 3400-3401)May 1, 2026
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation repeals Section 3400 and adopts Section 3401 of Title 15 to establish overfamiliarity guidelines between correctional staff and inmates for institutional security.
- Office of Spill Prevention and Response - Title 14 Oil Transfer Operations and Inspection Program (Section 845.2)May 1, 2026
California Office of Spill Prevention and Response amends Title 14, Section 845.2 to update vessel oil transfer inspection procedures, aligning with the 1990 Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act requirements.
- Department of Justice - Title 11 Online Filing for Registry of Charities and Fundraisers (Sections 300-940)May 1, 2026
Title 11 amendment mandates online filing with California's Registry of Charities and Fundraisers for charities, professional fundraisers, raffles, and nonprofit schools to replace paper submissions and checks.
- California Building Standards Commission/Division of the State Architect - Title 24, Part 2 (2025 California Building Code) - Housing Accessibility AmendmentsApril 17, 2026
California Building Standards Commission amends the 2025 California Building Code Title 24, Part 2 to clarify housing accessibility requirements in Chapter 11A without substantive changes to existing code provisions.
- Division of the State Architect - Title 24, Part 2 (2025 California Building Code) - Accessibility Standards for Public Housing and FacilitiesApril 17, 2026
California Division of the State Architect amends Title 24, Part 2 accessibility standards for public housing and facilities to align with federal requirements, remove site impracticality exceptions, and clarify definitions for educational and socia…
- Department of Justice / Office of Administrative Law - OAL Determination of Underground Regulations - CFARS COE Cheat Sheet MemorandumsApril 17, 2026
Office of Administrative Law Determination 2026-3 invalidates DOJ's CFARS COE Cheat Sheet memorandums as underground regulations that improperly require federal FFL-03 licenses without proper Administrative Procedure Act adoption.