New laws taking effect Jan. 1 at-a-glance KALIFORNIA

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Sat Jan-01-05 05:49 PM
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New laws taking effect Jan. 1 at-a-glance KALIFORNIA

Edited on Sat Jan-01-05 05:49 PM by alexisfree

New laws taking effect Jan. 1 at-a-glance
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/politics/10502912.htm
Associated Press

Some of the new laws taking effect Jan. 1 include:

ABORTION:

_Certain government agencies will have the power to deny Public Records Act requests for personal information relating to people who work in reproductive health facilities.

AIR BALLOONS:

_ Hot air balloon owners will be removed from the jurisdiction of the California Public Utilities Commission and instead placed under local government authority.

ANIMAL CRUELTY:

_ It will be a misdemeanor to declaw any wild or exotic cat.

AUTO INSURANCE:

_ Auto insurance companies will be required to list the price of their lowest-cost policy either on the Internet or by calling a toll-free telephone number.

CAMPAIGN MONEY:

_ The $100,000 limit on how much candidates can personally lend their campaigns will include loans received by the candidate from a commercial lender.

CAMPAIGN MONEY:

_ Political parties that donate to candidates in the last 16 days before an election will have to disclose the contribution within 24 hours.

CELLULAR PHONES:

_ Cellular telephone companies can't put a customer's number in a directory or sell the directory without the consent of the subscriber.

_ School bus drivers will be banned from using a cellular phone while driving, except for emergencies.

CHILD CARE:

_ Funding will be restored for child care programs, especially for services aimed at children at risk of abuse or neglect.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE:

_ Computer manufacturers will be prohibited from installing software that can be used to take control of a computer, collect user information or modify security settings.

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS:

_ The public will have access to more information about major land sales for conservation easements.

COURTS:

_ Prisoners who were convicted of crimes before expert testimony about battered women's syndrome was allowed in court will be allowed to present evidence to lessen their sentences or reverse their convictions.

CRUISE SHIPS:

_ Cruise ships will be barred from burning trash within three miles of California's coastline.

_ Cruise ships will be barred from discharging sewage within three miles of shore.

DISASTERS:

_ Owners whose homes were destroyed by the 2003 wildfires will retain their homeowners property tax exemptions.

DRUNKEN DRIVING:

_ Stiffer penalties will be created for a person convicted of drunken driving within 10 years of a previous drunken driving offense. Currently, the cutoff is seven years.

EDUCATION:

_ Schools may run kindergarten programs for more than four hours a day without getting special permission from the state.

_ County school superintendents will be required to review each year the quality of instructional materials, the assignment of teachers and the condition of school facilities.

ELECTRONIC VOTING:

_ The secretary of state, attorney general and county elections officials will be able to bring a civil action against businesses or individuals who tamper with electronic voting machines before, during or after an election.

E-MAIL:

_ Internet service providers, the state attorney general and recipients of commercial "spam" e-mail will be allowed to recover damages of up to $1,000 per unsolicited e-mail that doesn't disclose a valid e-mail address contact and the name and location of the sender.

ENERGY INVESTMENT:

_ The California Energy Commission will be required to adopt a plan for improving the state's electric transmission grid, using existing resources.

ENVIRONMENTAL PLATES:

_ The yearly renewal fee for personalized environmental license plates will increase from $25 to $30. The revenue be used for ocean protection programs, including controlling pollutants and protecting wildlife and water quality.

FIRE PROTECTION:

_ The state will require firebreaks of at least 100 feet around homes in areas where the state has firefighting responsibilities and in high fire-risk areas patrolled by local firefighters. Insurers may require even wider breaks around certain homes.

_ Cutting and removing of trees to reduce the threat of wildfire will be exempt from timber harvesting plan requirements if various requirements are met.

FOOD STAMPS:

_ People convicted of drug possession or use will be able to get food stamps.

GAY RIGHTS:

_ It will be unlawful for insurance companies in California to offer health insurance benefits that do not also cover the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees.

GROWTH:

_ Counties with oak woodlands will have to develop measures for developers or farmers who want to remove oak trees to make up for the losses, including planting oak trees somewhere else.

GUNS:

_ The sale and ownership of .50-caliber BMG rifles will be restricted. California is the first state to impose such prohibitions.

HEALTH:

_ Physicians convicted of sex crimes will be barred from practicing medicine.

HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS:

_ Homeowners associations will have to provide clear, easy-to-understand summaries of their assessments and schedules to hike them.

HYPODERMIC NEEDLES:

_ Pharmacies will be allowed to sell up to 10 sterile syringes if authorized by a city or county government.

INTERNET PIRACY:

_ Those who disseminate music and films over the Internet will have to disclose their e-mail addresses, a move intended to discourage Internet pirating of music and films.

LAND PURCHASES:

_ The 13-member Sierra Nevada Conservancy will be formed to acquire and manage lands for various public purposes.

MARRIAGE:

_ A member of the military who is serving in a conflict overseas will be allowed to be married by having a proxy stand in as the bride or groom.

MILITARY:

_ The California Military Family Relief Fund will be established to provide grants to members of the California National Guard who are called to active duty. The fund would be financed through taxpayer contributions made by checking a box on state income tax forms.

_ The state will be required to pay a $10,000 death benefit to the spouse or designated beneficiary of any member of the California National Guard, State Military Reserve or Naval Militia who dies in the line of duty.

PERSONAL PRIVACY:

_ In court files, local prosecutors will be able to prevent the disclosure of personal information about crime victims contained in police reports.

PLASTIC BAGS:

_ Plastic bags will have to meet standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials to carry the label compostable, degradable or biodegradable.

PRICES:

_ Merchants will not be able to charge a higher price than the lowest price displayed, advertised or posted, regardless of any time limitation.

PRIMARY ELECTIONS:

_ California's primary election and presidential primary election will be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June. Replaces current March primary.

PRISONS:

_ The way the Department of Corrections investigates allegations of employee misconduct will be overhauled and an Office of Independent Review will be created to do "quality control" of the department's investigations.

_ The inspector general will be given a fixed 10-year term and the appointment will be subject to Senate confirmation. Protocols for the Office of the Inspector General's investigations will be established.

_ The director of the state Department of Corrections and the director of the Youth Authority will be required to adopt a code of conduct for all employees and ensure all employees are informed of services available to them who have reported improper activities.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE:

_ The Public Utilities Commission will be required to review its public disclosure policies.

PUBLIC RECORDS:

_ Public agencies will get 10 working days, instead of 10 calendar days, to consider requests for public records.

RENTERS AND LANDLORDS:

_ Varying laws that require landlords to give 60 days notice of large rent increases and also give 60 days notice to move out tenants who have lived in the rental for at least one year will be made permanent.

RESIDENTIAL HOTELS:

_ Residential hotels that require occupants to check out and reregister will be determined to be doing so to prevent the occupants from acquiring any rights of tenancy.

TANNING SALONS:

_ Children under 14 years of age will be prohibited from using tanning salons without a doctor's prescription.

TEAK SURFING:

_ Boat operators will face an infraction for operating a boat or having the engine running idle when someone is teak surfing - riding wakes while holding on to the swim platform of slow-moving boats - platform dragging or bodysurfing behind the boat. The bill aims to prevent deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning.

VICTIM NOTIFICATION:

_ Prosecutors will have to notify the victim, or victim's next of kin before a perpetrator who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and was then committed to the state hospital is placed on outpatient status.

VIDEO GAMES:

_ Video game retailers will be required to post signs spelling out the availability of a video game rating system and brochures explaining the system.

VOTING:

_ Polling place workers will be required to be trained to ensure that all eligible voters who arrive at a polling place before closing time are allowed to vote.

WILDFIRES:

_ Hotel room rate hikes will be limited to 10 percent after natural disasters under a measure prompted by alleged "price gouging" by San Diego and Imperial County hotels in the wake of last autumn's wildfires.