Ah yes, it’s that magical time on the calendar when things are started over and we receive a “second chance”, if you will. It’s the New Year. Students weren’t the only ones busy last year. Our elected officials in Salem also had their nose to the grindstone to bring us the new laws for the 2012 model year. As with all laws, some seem quite legitimate and useful for the safety of the public, while to others it may appear to be a huge waste of taxpayer time and money.
Hundreds of new laws went into effect in Oregon on the first day of January of 2012 according to TDN.com. A few of them could affect the life of college students and their pursuit of higher education or just a good time.
A modification law on drinking and driving is back. Anyone who has been convicted of driving while intoxicated will need to use a computerized breathalyzer in order to start their vehicle. The price of installation of the analyzer would be about $75 and $50 to $75 a month to monitor the device. The penalties and fees for this infraction, as of the New Years, has went up from $391to $591. It would be a very expensive hangover.
The “cell phone while driving” law has also been changed. As of December 31 2009 there was a loop hole in the law. You could talk and drive if the call was directly related to your business. As of January 1st, of this year that loophole no longer exists. The only people who can use wireless devises while driving now are first responders, tow truck drivers, and utility workers. No more checking the LBCC baseball and basketball scores while behind the wheel. You can be fined $142 if you are caught!
A couple of new laws help kids in foster care and Veterans. Children in foster care in the State of Oregon will be eligible for free tuition in Oregon colleges. To help out those brave souls who have proudly served our country, a new law helps vets find work. The law requires public employers to give interviews to vets looking for civil service positions. Yeah! One for the Troops!
And finally, some good news to report to those students trying to pay their way through college the “old fashioned” way. It will be good news to hear of the rise of the minimum wage. It has gone up from $8.50 to $8.80, as www.examiner.com tells us.
Weather the government is trying to overload us with meaningless laws in a sad attempt to pick our pockets, or someone in Salem got it right with some much needed guidelines to improve our lives, ready or not, here they are. To see more information on the new laws that came into effect on January 1st 2012 in Oregon and other States, go to www.ncsl.org.
Very good story that is both information, but easy to follow and read. My only concern is at the end of the fifth paragraph, the last two sentences of 'Yeah! One for the troops', while a valid and important sentiment, and one I wholeheartedly agree with, might be considered revealing the authors bias when everything else seems fairly unbiased. It seems a matter of not being consistant with the tone of the rest of the article. Other than that, it is a great article.
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