Tuesday Marks The Start Of Hundreds Of New Arizona Laws

ARIZONA – The Arizona legislature approved 321 new laws this year, and Tuesday marks the day most of them go into effect. Some of the new laws focus on professional service deregulation and licensing changes, while others focus on transportation, elections and crime, and myriad other topics. The following are just a few examples:

Starting Tuesday, hairdressing practitioners not cosmetology certified can shampoo and blow dry a customer’s hair but can’t color hair. Such individuals will be required to hang a sign saying they’re not regulated. Completing an infection prevention course is required.

Various new laws regarding transportation also start tomorrow. A new law stipulates that scooter operators have the same duties, rights and roadway lanes as bicyclists. Another new law calls for each scooter to bear a unique Identification number that can be seen from a 5-foot distance or more. Additionally in the transportation sector, police are no longer required to write full motor vehicle accident reports when the damage is less than $2,000. (Currently the requirement is $1,000.) And a new law requires ADOT to revoke or suspend licenses of drivers who were ordered to complete traffic school but didn't show up.

In the elections arena, town and city voters will be able to pronounce term limits on council members and mayors. Also, local election write-in candidates won’t be put on general election ballots if they don’t receive the same number of write-in votes otherwise required for placement on a ballot.

Relevant to crimes, a new law as of Tuesday invokes tougher penalties on animal cruelty perpetrators. Also come Tuesday, nunchuck owners need no longer fear: It’s not a crime to possess one anymore, so the former punishment of 2.5 years in state prison is no longer applicable. Read the full article at the Arizona Daily Star.