Notable U.S. State laws taking effect from July 1 ( www.nbcnews.com )
July 1 marks the start of a new fiscal year for most U.S. states, and with that comes the enactment of new laws. Here's a list of the notable ones:
- Floridians can carry weapons without a permit
- California makes it easier for residents, local governments and the state attorney general to sue firearm retailers in civil court
- Kansas bans transgender people from using restrooms, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers that are consistent with their gender identities
- Georgia blocks most gender-affirming care for transgender people under 18
- Florida bans classroom instruction on STIs and periods before sixth grade
- Near-complete ban on no-knock warrants in Minnesota
- Virginia classifies fentanyl as a 'weapon of terrorism'
- Marriage licenses for kids are banned in Connecticut
- Indiana repeals ban on throwing stars, except on school property. The statute defines throwing stars to "mean a throwing-knife, throwing-iron, or other knife-like weapon with blades set at different angles."
- Tougher consumer data privacy laws in Colorado and Connecticut expected to afford residents more control over their personal data
- Pornography sites required to take "reasonable steps" to verify that their users are at least 18 years old in Virginia
- School books with sex acts are now banned in Iowa
- Restrictions on certain race and gender topics in Tennessee
- Mississippi picks the blueberry as its state fruit
Notable laws not included in NBC's article:
- Maryland legalizes recreational marijuana for those 21 and above presenting an ID
- Connecticut makes it legal for people to grow marijuana
- Massachusetts allows people who are in the country illegally to apply for a state driver’s license
- Washington will deduct a tax from workers' paychecks to fund a mandatory long-term care insurance program for residents who can't live independently due to illness, injury or aging-related conditions
- Washington and Idaho pick state dinosaurs
