New laws target electric cars, social trends
The new year will bring new charges for some owners of electric vehicles, as an increasing number of states seek to plug in to fresh revenue sources to offset forgone gas taxes.
In Hawaii, the charge will be $50. In Kansas, $100. In Alabama and Ohio, $200.
State officials hope the new fees will make up for at least part of the lost gas tax revenue that is essential to their road and bridge programs.
“I think states are still trying to determine what is a fair or equitable fee on these electric vehicle owners,” said Kristy Hartman, energy program director at the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Imposing fees on electric vehicles is one of several societal trends reflected in laws taking effect in 2020.
Twenty-one states will raise their minimum wage, including several to $12 an hour or more. Illinois will become the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. And California will join about 10 states that enacted measures this past year relaxing deadlines to sue or prosecute for prior sexual abuse — a reaction to the ongoing sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church.
Some other notable laws set to take effect Wednesday
include:
Police use-of-force
The nation’s oldest law governing when police can use deadly force is being revamped. California’s previous law allowed deadly force when officers had “reasonable fear” for their safety. The new law will allow it only when necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious injury to officers or bystanders, but it doesn’t include a definition of “necessary.”
Vaccinations
A new California law will create greater state oversight of doctors who write medical exemptions for school children’s vaccinations. The law will allow the state to investigate doctors who grant more than five medical exemptions in a year and schools with vaccination rates under 95 percent, the threshold that experts say means a population is resistant to a disease such as measles.
Guns
A Colorado “red flag” law will law allow family, household members or law enforcement to petition a court to have guns seized from people deemed a threat to themselves or others.
By contrast, a Tennessee law could allow people to more easily get permits to carry concealed guns. The law creates a less-expensive permit option that doesn’t require live-fire training and instead allows people to take an online course.
Immigration
Arkansas will become the latest state to wade into the national immigration debate with a new law cutting off discretionary state funding for “sanctuary” cities that don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Opioids
At least seven states will begin requiring electronic prescriptions for controlled substances such as opioids. New laws taking effect in Arizona, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Tennessee mean a dozen states will now have such laws. Virginia is to implement its law in July, and 13 additional states have passed laws that are to kick in during 2021.
Privacy
A California measure described as the nation’s most sweeping data privacy law will require many companies to tell consumers, upon request, what personal data they collect about them, why it’s collected and what other entities receive it. Consumers can ask companies to delete their personal information and not sell it.
Paid leave
Employees in Washington can start applying for time off under the state’s new paid family leave law. Starting in 2020, eligible workers can receive 12 weeks paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child or for a serious medical condition of the worker or a family member. Washington is the fifth state to launch a paid family leave law, to be followed by Washington, D.C., in July.