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State Representative Michael Beard
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8872
For more information contact: Jodi Boyne 651-296-0640
NEWS COLUMN
New Laws to Be Aware Of
By Mike Beard
State Representative
District 35A
The Legislature passed several new laws this year that will affect Minnesotans on an everyday basis, most notably the new law requiring seat belt usage. This actually went into effect in June with no shortage of media coverage, but it is worth another reminder. Law enforcement can now pull you over solely for neglecting to fasten your seat belt, resulting in a fine that could top $100.
Another traffic-related law comes from the primary seat belt bill but went into effect August 1: You can now go over the speed limit by up to 10 mph when passing another driver. There is a catch, however. You must be on a two-lane road with a speed limit of at least 55 mph. Most people are surprised to learn that this is a new law, thinking it had been in place for years.
One more driving law that will affect parents: You now must have child safety seats for kids under age eight or less than 4 feet 9 inches tall. Failure to comply can mean a fine up to $50, but that would be waived if you show you’ve purchased a safety seat within two weeks of getting pulled over.
Other new laws include:
If you lose your cell phone you are not liable for charges racked up from someone finding your phone and using it without your permission, but you have to notify your wireless provider that the phone is missing.
The minimum age for kids who can fish free on “Take a Kid Fishing Weekend” is now 16, not 18.
If you visit a state park, you can now request more than two vehicle permits.
The sales tax went up on July 1 as approved by voters during last year’s election to fund various arts, environmental and cultural projects. It will be in place thru 2034.
There are hundreds of other newly-minted laws as a result of last session, but I picked these few for a reason: They will affect most of us on an almost daily basis, particularly the new traffic laws.
It becomes easy for us to tune out what goes on in our governments because sometimes things seem so distant. It is hard for most of us to comprehend trillion dollar deficits, multi-billion dollar bailouts or pieces of legislation with more than 1,200 pages that are being considered in Washington. But we do understand seat belts, booster seats and lost cell phones. So whether you agree with them or disagree, let the examples of these new laws be a reminder that, no matter how complicated or distant it may seem, what goes on in government can and does affect your everyday life.
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