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New Year, New Laws

Alex Gold |
December 30, 2013 | 5:51 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

(PaddyMurphy / Flickr)
(PaddyMurphy / Flickr)

In the coming year, 800 new laws are set to take effect, so we've highlighted several that may affect you in 2014:

Marijuana

Colorado laws approving the legal regulation and sale of marijuana take effect on New Year's Day. Colorado-ians will be able to buy marijuana like alcohol, up to one ounce at a time.

Transgender Rights

In California, transgender students will now have the right to choose whichever bathroom they feel most comfortable using, as well as the ability to play on either boys' or girls' sports teams.

Guns

In Connecticut, any unregistered assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines will be considered illegal. The law was passed after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

New York, which already bans assault rifles such as the AR-15, passed a similar law, although now all owners must re-register their guns as assault weapons.

Paparazzi

California passed a law, signed by Governor Jerry Brown, and trumpeted by actresses Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner, in which tougher sanctions and penalties will be imposed on media and photographers who harass celebrities and their children. Paparazzi taking photos or videos of children without consent, and in a harassing manner, can face up to $10,000 fines, up to a year of jail time, and be sued for damages and attorney fees.

Immigration

In Nevada, immigrants living within the U.S. illegally may now apply for driver authorization cards.

Similarly, Maryland has passed a law allowing immigrants to apply for a driver's license or identification card if they can prove they filed an income tax return or were claimed as dependents for the preceding two years.

Healthcare

Maine will now require health care providers to supply requesting patients with a comprehensive list of prices for common healthcare services and procedures.

Delaware now limits copays for certain "speciality tier" prescription drugs to $150 for one month's supply.

Wages

Ohio has passed legislation raising minimum wages for un-tipped employees from $7.85 to $7.95, and tipped employees from $3.93 to $3.98.

California raises the minimum wage to $9, and to $10 in 2016. Domestic workers are required to be paid time and a half if they work over 9 hours in a day or over 45 hours in a week.

Read the hilarious take on the new laws by Esquire.


Reach Staff Reporter Alex Gold here, or follow him on Twitter.



 

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