New year brings new laws for Calif.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- California is lighting up some new laws in 2011, starting Jan. 1.
One law deals with possession of marijuana. The crime of possessing an ounce of pot has been reduced from misdemeanor to an infraction, meaning no jail time or criminal records for offenders. Basically the law says getting caught with a little pot is no more serious than a speeding ticket.
Speaking of tickets, thanks to Senate Bill 1317 parents can now be fined up to $2,000 and go to jail if they fail to get their children to school. This law affects kids from kindergarten to eighth grade. It's a law some parents say is not going to work. One parent said, "They need to go after those parents who are truly negligent, and they need to come up with a way other than finance or what every to penalize those parents."
Also in the new year, some less serious offenses are now being taken more seriously. Cyber bullies beware if you get caught impersonating someone on a social networking site, through e-mail or via text messages. You could get a $1,000 fine and even see some jail time. Senate bill 1411 outlaws electronic impersonation and updates the states current impersonation law that dates back to 1872.
Another law being served up in 2011 requires chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to display their nutritional information and calorie count right on their menu. Eyewitness News asked local Denny's customers if they thought the menu change is a good idea. One father said, "Yes, kids need to eat right. They need all the nutrition they can get."
But not all laws introduced this year make new rules. In the new year, California officially repeals a 60-year-old law requiring the Department of Mental Health to research the causes and cures for homosexuality. And some voters say it's about time legislators clean out old laws.
Believe it or not, there are already laws on the books waiting to go into affect in 2012. One of those laws deals with drunk-driving enforcement, where people convicted of three DUIs could loose their license for 10 years. While that rule isn't in effect yet, it's a good reminder not to drink and drive when enjoying New Years Eve 2010.
One law deals with possession of marijuana. The crime of possessing an ounce of pot has been reduced from misdemeanor to an infraction, meaning no jail time or criminal records for offenders. Basically the law says getting caught with a little pot is no more serious than a speeding ticket.
Speaking of tickets, thanks to Senate Bill 1317 parents can now be fined up to $2,000 and go to jail if they fail to get their children to school. This law affects kids from kindergarten to eighth grade. It's a law some parents say is not going to work. One parent said, "They need to go after those parents who are truly negligent, and they need to come up with a way other than finance or what every to penalize those parents."
Also in the new year, some less serious offenses are now being taken more seriously. Cyber bullies beware if you get caught impersonating someone on a social networking site, through e-mail or via text messages. You could get a $1,000 fine and even see some jail time. Senate bill 1411 outlaws electronic impersonation and updates the states current impersonation law that dates back to 1872.
Another law being served up in 2011 requires chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to display their nutritional information and calorie count right on their menu. Eyewitness News asked local Denny's customers if they thought the menu change is a good idea. One father said, "Yes, kids need to eat right. They need all the nutrition they can get."
But not all laws introduced this year make new rules. In the new year, California officially repeals a 60-year-old law requiring the Department of Mental Health to research the causes and cures for homosexuality. And some voters say it's about time legislators clean out old laws.
Believe it or not, there are already laws on the books waiting to go into affect in 2012. One of those laws deals with drunk-driving enforcement, where people convicted of three DUIs could loose their license for 10 years. While that rule isn't in effect yet, it's a good reminder not to drink and drive when enjoying New Years Eve 2010.
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