New Laws for the New Year

Although a bit into the new year, it's still pretty early. And along with the new year, comes new laws that go into effect.

Here are some of the most notable new laws in some of the most populous states in the United States to keep your eye on.

California

California has responded to the Twitter-based #MeToo Movement. New legislation bans non-disclosure agreements in settlements over sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination. According to a Los Angeles Times article on the new law, California is the first state to pass such legislation in the United States. This is important for attorneys to watch as, in many cases, California leads the way in many areas of law.

California has also further regulated its pet-buying market. From now on, California pet stores may only sell dogs, cats, and rabbits from public shelters or rescue groups. In other words, California has, as The Sacramento Bee put it, “banned its pet stores from selling pets produced by private breeders.”

Florida

Effective as of January 1, 2019, Florida’s state minimum wage increased from $8.25 to $8.46. According to the Tampa Bay Times, this increase is due to a 2004 state constitutional amendment that connects the state’s minimum wage rate of increase to inflation. It continues to place Florida’s state minimum more than a dollar over the federal one.

More significantly, Florida voted to overturn a state constitutional amendment that permanently stripped convicted felons of their voting rights. Now, persons convicted of felonies that preclude murder and sexual offenses will automatically be re-enfranchised once they have completed their sentences. A Huffington Post article characterized this as “the most dramatic expansions of the franchise in modern times.” 1.4 million more people in Florida are now able to vote in the 2020 presidential election.

Illinois

Illinois passed new gun law legislation that responds to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in February 2018. All gun purchases must now undergo a 72-hour wait period before buyers can legally possess their newly-purchased firearms. According to an NPR Illinois article, only handgun purchases were previously subject to this waiting period in Illinois.

Illinois also passed a law that encourages its school districts to offer more dual-credit courses to students. Dual-credit courses save money on college tuition down the road because they allow high school courses to fulfill high school and college graduation requirements. According to the same NPR Illinois article, school districts may not offer dual-credit courses through non-Illinois colleges and universities unless local community colleges in Illinois offer those same courses.

New York

New York City outlawed single-use foam take-out containers, cups, trays, and plates. The point of this law is to reduce waste and the carbon footprint in the United States’ most populous city.

And as for the actual state of New York, a new law is on its books that requires almost all private employers to provide Paid Family Leave coverage to their employees. Not only this, the extent of that coverage has expanded. According to a New York State Employer Facts sheet, employees who regularly work at least 20 hours a week qualify for Paid Family Leave coverage after having worked for their employers for at least 26 weeks. Under the provisions of their coverage, these employees are entitled to 55% of their average weekly wage. But, as these provisions are implemented, employees may only receive a maximum of $746.41 as their weekly benefit in 2019.

Texas

A new state law in Texas seeks to combat human trafficking. According to ABC Eyewitness News, the state now mandates that all sex-oriented businesses in Texas display a bathroom notice with the National Human Trafficking Resource Center’s human trafficking emergency hotline. Businesses that do not comply with this law will be charged with a misdemeanor.

And lastly, the state of Texas has added more courts (and therefore judges’ seats) to its judicial system to ease the existing caseloads (and anticipated caseloads) on current courts. According to the same ABC Eyewitness News article, this move anticipates a continual rise in Texas’ (and particularly Houston’s) population, which would otherwise place more stress and demand on the Texas state judiciary system.

New laws may take a while to filter down to the everyday experience for most citizens, unless directly affected by them. However, being aware of trends and progress in some of the largest states in the US can suggest areas of future focus across the country. Have you seen any interesting laws in your area?