New Year's Day brings new state laws

[The Straight Story]

New Year's Day brings new state laws

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- A number of new state laws went into effect throughout the United States on New Year's Day, a National Conference of State Legislatures tally shows.

The organization says 40,697 laws were passed by state legislatures during 2009 and a number of those laws went into effect Friday, Stateline.org reported.

Among the new laws greeting 2010 include same-sex couples being allowed to legally marry in New Hampshire and people driving without their lights on during snowfall in Ohio facing fines as much as $150.

Starting Friday, members of the media face civil penalties as much as $50,000 if caught buying or selling "unlawfully obtained" photos and videos in California. The paparazzi law, intended to protect celebrities and their parents, was supported by actress Jennifer Aniston.

Starting New Year's Day, students at universities in Texas must now provide proof they have been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis before living on campus.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/01/01/New-Years-Day-brings-new-state-laws/UPI-85291262366427/

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Kids in Kansas can no longer drive at age 14

A good law if you ask me.

[napi21]

2. FOURTEEN????? Damn, I thought it was awful that SC

let kids 15 get a learners permit! Yea, I still remember being 15 and wishing for that 16th B-Day!

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Yes and it was a joke

I live in a city and kids here use a family member's rural address to get a license at 14. It was supposed to be for kids who WORKED on farms. But it was a joke and repealing this law was long overdue.

[niyad]

4. each state passed an average of 810 laws? one wonders how useful or necessary many of them actually

are.