BY Mario Cortez
The New Year is arriving and it is bringing new laws that come into effect as soon as we receive the first of January. There are many new regulations that begin in 2016, however not all of them will have the same effect on our day to day life and in our community. Here’s a quick rundown of the most relevant laws that arrive to the state.
In response to the overwhelming numbers of police brutality cases, California police agencies will have to report any use of force to the state to compile a yearly report which is to be published at the beginning of next year. The use of force reported can range from a struggle to officer involved shooting and other causes of death by California law enforcement agents.
New laws arrive to our schools.
The California High School Exit Exam will no longer be a requisite for students as of the 2017/2018 school year by effect of Senate Bill 172. The elimination of this requisite is retroactive and is extended to anyone who finished which school without a satisfactory score on their exit exam attempts from 2004 to today.
The new vaccination law SB277 is official as of January first but won’t be enforced until mid-2016. Under this new law all students of California public schools must have their vaccination records up to date. There are exceptions made to K – 7 students who have some form of impediment to having their vaccines. This law came about as a result of last summer’s measles outbreak in the Los Angeles area which infected 42 people.
Another law that enters the classroom is SB695. This law requires that school districts with sexual education as a graduation requirement teach the importance of consent of both parties as a part of sexual intercourse. This law seeks to prevent incidences of sexual abuse and rape among youth and to create awareness of these problems.
New alerts will also arrive to our roadways to assist in locating people that law enforcement might be on the look for.
In an effort to prevent hit and run cases among drivers, the Yellow Alert comes into action to assist police in locating drivers who have fled from an accident with injuries or deaths. This information will be spread by devices which already use the Amber Alert’s means of broadcasting information such as mobile alerts and electronic road signs. Not all hit and run cases will be broadcasted through this alert. Each severe hit and run case will be evaluated by law enforcement to see if citizen assistance is needed in looking for runaway drivers.
The Silver Alert, used to locate missing seniors, will also begin using electronic road signs as of 2016 in addition to the previously used broadcast methods by this alert.
If you have to renew your driver’s license or are planning to get one in 2016, and you also have not registered to vote yet, you can automatically register to vote with the information provided on your application. This option will be offered starting on January first but the actual process and related regulations have not been completely worked out yet.
If you gave or received one of the hot new hoverboards this Christmas, whoever rides one will be subject to AB604. This law dictates that anyone riding a hoverboard on a California street will have to be at least 16 years old, wearing a helmet and doing so on a street with a speed limit lower than 35 miles per hour. The use of hoverboards on higher speed roads will be limited to bike lanes. Riding a hoverboard on sidewalks, parks and college campuses and the enforcement of laws regulating their use in these, will be left up to local ordinances.
These are just a couple of laws that will be enacted on January first. Be on the lookout to any other laws that might affect you to avoid any unwanted consequences.