By Andrew Sheeler From The Sacramento Bee SACRAMENTO, Calif.—A slate of new California laws set to go into effect on Jan. 1 touches on everything from police accountability to housing reform, ketchup packets, and how veterinarians gather blood donations for sick pets. Some laws Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last year, such as a ban on the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and lawnmowers and a requirement that large retailers maintain a genderless kids area, don’t go into effect until a couple of years from now. Here’s a round-up of some of the high-profile laws set to take hold New Year’s Day: Affordable Housing California’s sky-high housing costs compelled lawmakers to look at easing barriers to construction, resulting in the passage of a package of bills aimed at creating more homes. Senate Bill 8 maintains limitations on local governments’ ability to “downzone” neighborhoods without planning to increase density in other areas …