By Katie Foutz
katie@newsroom.byu.edu
Two hundred fifty-one new Utah laws went into effect May 1, affecting everything from aggressive driving to the harassment of seeing eye dogs.
The statutes and spending plans passed by the 2000 legislature were scheduled to enter the Utah Code Annotated 60 days after adjournment on March 1.
This means that on May 1, enforcement began of new laws that include increased penalties for 'aggressive driving' and the use of unmarked Utah Highway Patrol cars to stake out highways looking for dangerous drivers. Also, the fine for those not wearing a seatbelt increased to $45.
As of May 1, the title of Utah's Human Rights Day has also been changed. It is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In addition, health insurers must be more flexible in maternity coverage, allowing new mothers to stay at the hospital for 48 hours following delivery. It is also easier for grandparents to sue for visitation rights to see their grandchildren.
Laws affecting Utah prisons include a statute that forbids inmates from receiving Playboy or other sexually explicit material.
It is also a crime now to kill or harass a 'service animal,' like a seeing eye dog.
To learn more about the 251 new laws visit the Utah legislature online at www.le.state.ut.us/.