On January 1st, a new set of laws will go into effect across the country. The 2012 laws include measures to protect children athletes, to curb binge drinking, and to educate students about gay history.
Here are some of the laws that will go into effect in 2012.
2012 Laws About the LGBT Community – Starting January 1st, same sex civil unions will be legalized in Delaware. Gays and lesbians in Delaware will be able to get the same state rights as married couples.
California has also passed a law that will require schools to teach students about gay history and the contributions that the LGBT community has made to society.
2012 Immigration Laws – Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina have all passed laws that will make it harder for illegal immigrants to work.
California also passed a law involving illegal immigrants, but California’s law will make it easier for illegal immigrants to receive private financial aid to attend public colleges.
2012 Penalty Increases – Tennessee has increased the penalties for both child rape and gun use. A minimum sentence of 25 years will be implemented in cases of child rape. Penalties for people who fire a weapon into an occupied home have also increased in an effort to curb drive-by shootings.
In Illinois, people who have been convicted of first degree murder will be added to a public database, similar to sex offenders, when they are released from prison.
2012 Alcohol Laws – Utah is banning happy hours. Utah has passed a new law that bans any daily drink specials.
2012 Athletic Laws – Colorado will require football coaches to bench athletes who may have suffered a head injury. The law also requires for players to receive a medical check before they can return to the game.
2012 Abortion Laws – In New Hampshire, girls seeking an abortion will be required to first tell their parents or a judge. In Arkansas, facilities that perform more than 10 nonsurgical abortions a month must get licensed by the state Health Department and will be subjected to inspections by the department.
2012 Traffic Laws – In Illinois, motorcyclists will be able to ride through red lights. The law states that a rider may proceed through a red light after waiting a reasonable amount of time.
These are just some of the new rules that will go into effect on January 1st. What do you think about the 2012 laws?
