Capitol Chat: New Year, New Laws Thursday, December 20, 2018 | Sacramento, CA Listen / download audio Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin. The California State Capitol on September 12, 2017.Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio Every year hundreds of new California laws take effect on Jan. 1. Many of them won't have much effect on our daily lives, but Capitol Bureau Chief Ben Adler joins Beth Ruyak to take a closer look at some that might in 2019.