551 new laws go into effect
Howell "Howie" Dennis is the news editor for The Crowley Post-Signal. He can be reached at howie.dennis@crowleytoday.com or 337-783-3450.
As of today (Friday), those who punch an official at one of their children’s sporting events will face jail time.
This law, as well as 550 others, officially went into effect at midnight. The new laws and changes to existing laws were passed by the Louisiana Legislature this year.
Crowley Chief of Police K.P. Gibson commented on the process he and his men have to undergo at this time each year.
“It’s just a matter of educating our guys on the new laws and the changes to the existing ones,” he said. “We do it every year around this time.”
The Post-Signal recently published a story about a new law that prohibits cell phone use by motorists in school zones. Among the other new laws that residents should be aware of are:
• Employers and schools can’t access your social media, personal e-mail and other online accounts without permission.
• Children under the age of 18 may no longer use tanning beds regardless of whether they are accompanied by a parent are guardian.
• A comprehensive revision of the expungement laws in this state by establishing state-wide procedures, a uniform fee structure, and uniform expungement forms is now in effect. The bill allows the expungement of certain arrests and felony convictions (other than crimes of violence and sex offenses) after a ten-year “cleansing period” or a five-year “cleansing period” for certain misdemeanor offenses.
Those who would like to know more about the new laws should contact their local legislator.