2014 New year, new laws: year 2014 rings in laws both quirky and predictable.

AuthorWeiss, Suzanne
PositionLEGISLATION

Thousands of new state laws go into effect every Jan. 1. Some are attention-getters, some are quirky and some stand out for blazing new trails. This year is no different.

In Colorado, adults can now walk into state-licensed shops and buy up to one ounce of marijuana for recreational use. In Connecticut, the final piece of the nation's strictest gun-control law clicked into place. And in California, transgender youth, Internet users and prison inmates serving long sentences for offenses they committed as juveniles have new rights and protections.

Here's a glance at these and some other new state laws--on issues ranging from tanning salons to distracted driving to the federal Affordable Care Act.

Crime and Courts

Inmates serving long prison sentences for offenses they committed as teenagers will have a chance for re-sentencing under a new law in California. It establishes a special parole-review process in which such individuals are eligible for release after 15 years of incarceration, if they meet certain criteria. The law may affect the fate of as many as 5,000 California inmates.

In Connecticut, reforms stemming from the Newtown school shootings include mandatory registration of all assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines purchased before April 2013, and creation of a statewide registry that will track parolees whose crimes involved the use of weapons.

Hawaii strengthened its human trafficking law, and a companion law makes prostitutes eligible for the state's witness-protection program--an attempt to help law enforcement prosecute pimps and traffickers.

New laws in Delaware and Maryland forbid the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins. They join five other states and three territories that have cracked down on the practice of catching sharks, cutting off their fins and returning them to the water to die. The trade is spurred by the demand for shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy commonly served at banquets and weddings.

In Texas, a victim (or parent or guardian of a victim) of certain sex offenses or stalking now has the right to terminate a lease without financial penalties.

Health

In all 50 states, under provisions of the Affordable Care Act that took effect on Jan. 1, newly issued insurance policies purchased through health exchanges began covering patient treatments. Jan. I also marked the start of expanded Medicaid coverage in the 26 states that have opted to extend benefits to adults with incomes up to 138...

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