New Year Brings New Laws

By Douglas V. Gibbs

With the coming of the new year is the coming of new laws that go into effect.

In California, the list is extensive. Among those new laws are:

1. Sobriety Checkpoints - If the driver is unlicensed, police must make an effort to allow the registered owner to pick up the vehicle before it is impounded. The first question that comes to my mind is why in the hell is the owner allowing an unlicensed driver to drive their car in the first place? I get where this law came from. The registered owners of these vehicles are crying, "Not fair." Grow up, get the cost of the impounded vehicle out of the idiot you let drive your car, and let that be a lesson to you about loaning your car to people that's not supposed to be driving. I can't believe this legislation is now on the books. Jeeeesh.

2. Medical Marijuana - Though I do not support medical marijuana, it is a State law in California, so the federal government has no right to get involved constitutionally. The new law will now allow more local control, enabling local authorities to regulate the location of medical marijuana cooperatives. The battle over this in Los Angeles surely had something to do with the passing of this law. Personally, in California, I would like to see the medical marijuana law repealed.

3. Beer with added caffeine will be prohibited - Beer with caffeine added? I didn't know that was going on. Imagine that. Getting drunk, but hyped up on caffeine. That's gotta be a bad combo. However, I am thinking the knucklehead that buys that product should have the choice on whether or not to consume that product. Surely, the maker of the product ought to make the dangers of such a product known to the buyer.

4. The use of consumer credit reports by employers when hiring will now be prohibited, with a few exceptions - I am figuring this comes from the fact that pretty much everyone has bad credit after the economic slump, and so by doing this it will open up opportunities for job seekers. As an employer, however, I would not like the fact that the State is dictating to me my tools for my hiring practices.

5. Prohibition of alcoholic beverage purchases in self-service checkout lines - Okay, good way to keep underage consumers from buying alcohol. I am not a big fan of self-service checkout stations, myself. I get the reason. Less employees provides for a greater opportunity for a decent profit margin, especially with costs like Obamacare coming into play. But customer service, for some reason, is a big deal with me. I want that personal interaction, I want to be able to ask questions, and I want people to care about whether or not I was able to find everything I was looking for in the store. As for the underage drinking thing? Seems reasonable. Sure, parents should be more involved, but in this case, the State may have a legitimate proposal.

6. Minors as low as 12 years old will be able to consent to medical care related to a sexually transmitted disease - remember, in school they can't get an aspirin without parental consent, but they can take care of their STDs without parental knowledge. Does something seem terribly wrong with this picture?

7. The name of the food stamp program to Cal-Fresh - Yeah, they don't like the word "food stamps" anymore. It has a negative connotation. The term makes it sound too much like what it really is: welfare. Have you ever seen how many obese people live in "poor" neighborhoods? If Michelle wants to stamp out obesity, how about she push for eliminating the governmental practice of handing out free food? Ahh, only in America could poverty lead to obesity.

8. California also became the first state in the nation to require a prescription for obtaining any drug containing dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in many popular over-the-counter cough suppressants, including Robitussin, NyQuil and Dimetapp. Remember, this is the same State that trusts kids to make decisions regarding Sexually Transmitted Diseases without even allowing parental consent or knowledge. The law was prompted by a spike in the use of cough syrup as a recreational drug.

9. The California Dream Act - this pander to the illegal aliens expands eligibility for institutional grants and fee waivers to students who are in the country illegally at the state's university systems and community colleges. Which means that as the State loses money and takes away funding for legal residents to go to college, they are going to go out of their way to make sure illegals get education funding.

10. California also becomes the first state to mandate the teaching of gay history - As if if someone does something in history it isn't significant until you know his or her sexuality. Interestingly, the groups who supported this measure won't allow prayer to be in schools because the Christian majority in the State should never be able to force their beliefs on everybody else's children. However, a small percentage of people who practice a sexual perversion, according to this law, should be able to force their beliefs on everybody else's children. The new law requires schools, which means teachers have no choice even if they are offended by the perverse lifestyle, to include in the public-school curriculum the alleged contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, along with disabled persons and others. The statute, which has no age limit, also bans instructional material that is considered by the State to be discriminatory against those groups. In other words, say anything that anybody may consider offensive about gays, and you will lose your job. Ahh, liberty, isn't it wonderful? Before long, they will begin to install re-education centers for those who dare to have a beef with such laws.

11. Tanning Beds for minors - California will enforce a new law banning minors from using ultraviolet tanning beds. Remember, once again, this is the same State that has no problem with children receiving medical care for sexually transmitted diseases without parental knowledge.

12. Booster Seats - Also in California, children must remain in car booster seats for an additional two years, until they reach the age of eight, or until they hit 4 feet 9 inches, whichever comes first. Once again, California is taking a good idea and is going just a wee bit too far with it.

But don't just get down on California. Trust me, there are all kinds of governmental control going on across the country, thanks to your run-of-the-mill leftist politicians, and other politicians who think they are just doing what's best. . . as if we are unable to make decisions for ourselves, and live with the consequences of those decisions.

Oregon and California passed laws prohibiting the sale, trade, or distribution of the fins (including shark fins), which are considered a delicacy in China.

Kansas, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas approved laws requiring voters to present photo identification before casting ballots. A fifth state, South Carolina, had passed its own voter-identification law, but it was unconstitutionally overturned on December 23, 2011 by the Justice Department. Personally, I like this law. It protects against voter fraud. No wonder the democrats are against these laws. Fraud is one of their main strategies in winning. They sure as heck can't win on the issues alone.

E-Verify, which is used to determine the eligibility of employees, becomes mandatory starting today in four states, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia. In California, because the State Legislature won't do it, the cities have been working to pass these laws at the local level. However, California responded to these cities by prohibiting any local government from requiring employers to use the E-Verify program unless required by federal law or as a condition of receiving federal funds. That alone is a Constitutional quandry, since the federal government can't require a State to use E-Verify, or not allow a State to use E-Verify. There is no constitutional authority that allows the federal government such a dictate.

Anti-text messaging laws will be going into effect in many states, and some North Dakota will disallow cell phone use for drivers under eighteen. Though I agree with the reality that distracted driving can be dangerous, I am conflicted on whether or not the States should decide for the individual whether or not to be able to use their phone while driving. In the end, I think I agree with banning texting, and requiring only hands-devices allowed if you are going to be on the phone. For those considering banning all phone use altogether, I think that is going too far.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

New California Laws for 2012 - KGET TV 17


New laws: No caffeine in beer, shark fins in soup - Washington Times