Some new laws in 2013:
- Same-sex couples in Maryland will be able to marry.
- California clergy members will not have to perform same-sex marriages if they object.
- Partial birth abortion by physicians and non-physicians will not be performed in New Hampshire except to save the life of the mother.
- Sex offenders in Illinois will not be able to dress up as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny or give out candy during Halloween.
- Employers in Oregon will not be allowed to advertise a job opening if they won't consider applicants who are unemployed.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100335341
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/12/31/California-Rings-In-New-Year-With-800-New-Laws
Homeowners behind on their mortgage payments and negotiating with their banks to find a way to work things out won't have to worry about getting a surprise foreclosure notice.
Women will have expanded access to birth control, as registered nurses will be able to dispense contraceptives such as the pill.
Apartment dwellers concerned about the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning will be able to breathe easier.
Employers will not be allowed to require workers or job applicants to divulge their social media accounts or provide passwords to them.
Those are among the legal changes in California that will kick in Tuesday as a result of some of the 876 laws signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012. By historic standards it was a somewhat low number but was the most new laws put on the books in the state since 2006.
The following is a list of some new laws. More information on them is available by searching the bill number under "Bill information" at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.
- Bankruptcy protection: AB 929 permits debtors to keep items such as tools of their trade and an automobile so that they will be better positioned to engage in work or seek employment after going through a bankruptcy.
- Bear hunting: SB 1221 bars hunters from using trained dogs to track bears, chase them into trees and bay to summon hunters to shoot the bears.
- Birth control: AB 2348 authorizes registered nurses to dispense hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, patch and ring. Women will not have to see a doctor but will have to undergo a routine health assessment.
- Boat registration fee: AB 2443 requires owners of boats used in freshwater bodies to pay an additional registration fee of up to $10 — the precise amount is not yet set — to pay for inspection and infestation control programs to prevent the spread of invasive mussels in state waterways.
- Carbon monoxide: The final phase of a 2010 law, SB 183, starts Tuesday when owners of apartment complexes will have to have installed carbon monoxide detectors in every dwelling unit with a fossil-fuel-burning furnace or appliance, fireplace or attached garage.
- Drug overdose reporting: AB 472 allows any person to report a drug-related overdose to authorities or seek medical assistance for a drug overdose without being subject to arrest on suspicion of possession of or being under the influence of illegal drugs. People would not have immunity from prosecution for laws involving illegal sales or forcible administration of drugs.
- Electronic proof of insurance: AB 1708 allows drivers to use electronic proof-of-insurance documents displayed on mobile devices when asked for that information by a police officer responding to an auto accident or issuing a traffic citation. Motorists will continue to get paper proof-of-insurance forms from their insurance companies unless they request otherwise.
- Homeowners' bill of rights: SB 900 institutes new protections for homeowners seeking to avoid losing their homes to foreclosure. Among other provisions, it prohibits lenders from initiating the foreclosure process during the time an application for loan modification is being reviewed and requires lenders to provide homeowners with a single point of contact as they navigate their request for a loan modification.
- Legacy license plates: Under AB 1658, the Department of Motor Vehicles will start accepting applications for specialized licenses plates that replicate plates from the past. Styles from the 1950s, '60s and '70s will be available. The DMV will not begin production unless at least 7,500 are ordered.
- Off-road vehicles: Clarifying a previous law that goes into effect Tuesday and mandates that passengers in off-road vehicles must sit only in places designed by the manufacturer to be seats, AB 1266 removes a previous requirement that passengers in such seats have both feet on the floorboard.
- Pickets at funerals: SB 661 makes it a misdemeanor to engage in picketing targeted at a funeral from one hour before the services begin to one hour after they end.
- Religious attire: AB 1964 adds religious dress and grooming practices to categories protected by fair housing and employment laws.
- Same-sex marriage: SB1140 specifies that if same-sex marriages become legal in California, no priest, minister, rabbi or authorized person of any religious denomination could be required to solemnize a marriage that is contrary to the tenets of his or her faith.
- Social media: AB 1844 prohibits employers from requiring or requesting an employee or job applicant to disclose a user name or password for the purpose of accessing personal social media accounts, or to access his or her accounts in the presence of the employer. Employees cannot be discharged, disciplined or retaliated against for failing to comply with such requests.
- Sporting events: AB 2464 requires the owner of any professional sports facility, such as baseball stadiums or basketball arenas, to post written notices with a text message and telephone number that spectators may use to contact security to report disturbances or a violent act.
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/dec/30/new-year-to-bring-876-new-laws-to-california/#ixzz2Gk2gnXMD- vcstar.com
