347 new laws went into effect across Arizona Friday changing the way we live, work and play in our state.
In the traffic department, photo radar tickets will now be made harder to fight. An officer will now have to review the citation before it is sent out.
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Traffic tickets will cost you a little more, $4 more to be exact. That extra money will go to help pay for police officer training and equipment.
There will also be harsher penalties for wrong-way drivers. Violators can be subject to a $500 fine and mandatory traffic school. Those wrong-way drivers found to be impaired will lose their license for a year and can expect a minimum of four months behind bars. Penalties increase if there’s a crash or a death.
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Arizona’s kids will also see an impact. Children in kindergarten through third grade will receive two recess periods a day. It comes after a decades-long battle over whether more activity time improves academic performance. Christine Davis with Arizonans for Recess approves of the law.
“It also improves classroom behavior, it improves attention, of course, it improves health,” said Davis.
On the consumer end, a new law now makes credit freeze fees illegal. This will make it easier for you to freeze your credit if you’re the subject of identity theft.
A new law caps the legal minimum age for marriage in our state at 16. 16 and 17-year-olds can marry if they are emancipated and their future spouse is no more than three years older.
There’s also a new law on the books that puts a stop to fake service animals. There’s no law nationwide that prevents people from passing off a pet as a service animal.
In Arizona, anyone caught trying to pass off their pet as a fake service animal will be fined $250. Advocates for the law say they’ve been concerned with the safety issue regarding untrained dogs used as fake service animals and it’s a slap in the face to those who have a disability.
“This is a piece of medical equipment, it’s not just a dog,” said disabled veteran Mitch Garcia.
On the health front, lawmakers passed a new abortion law where women will be asked more specific questions about their medical conditions and their reason for the abortion.
Lastly, Grade A eggs can stay on the grocery store shelf even longer. Their expiration date extended from 24 days to 45 days. Lawmakers agreed customers were throwing away millions in perfectly good and healthy food.
For a full breakdown of all 347 laws passed click here.
