With this new year comes new laws.
Multiple state laws have taken effect on Jan. 1 of this year. Regulations including gun ownership, smoking, voting, health and wellness and other more have finally been actualized this year and offenders are bound to receive penalties set by the new laws.
To begin with, new laws involving health and wellness of the people have been passed. According to New York Daily News, in North Carolina, performing abortion now comes with proper requirement. Physicians are purportedly required to provide the state with ultrasound images of fetuses and other data related to abortions performed after the 16th week of pregnancy. For abortions executed on the 20th week, doctors must explain to health officials the justifiable medical factor on doing the operation.
More on this pregnancy ordeals, women in Oregon are now able to order contraception from a pharmacist without a prescription. Another law passed in Oregon regards vaping indoors to be illegal in public places.
More on smoking and vaping, Hawaii is now becoming the first state to raise its minimum age, from 18 to 21, to allow the use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Laws involving minors also include Tennessee which now prohibits juveniles from purchasing cough syrup containing dextromethorphan which is an ingredient teens use to get high.
While the aforementioned new laws are welcomed well or at least neutrally, the new law in Texas allowing firearm owners to carry handguns openly is dividing the state opinions. According to NBC News, this bill on openly carrying guns is opposed by a majority of the state's police chiefs.
As Texas is loosening their gun regulations, California tightens theirs as firearms are now banned near, in and around schools. Additionally, there is a new "gun violence restraining order" which hinders a regarded dangerous person from possessing firearms for 21 days.
These are just some of the major highlights of the new bills passed this year. There are also laws in California and Illinois aimed for animal preservation and protection. Voting laws in California, North Carolina and Oregon has also taken effect. Veteran tax exemptions, minimum wage boost and women equality are also some areas given regulations for this year.
In any case, change is inevitable this 2016 and it's expected that New York will have noticeable variations which hopefully will be for the better.
