Hundreds of new Virginia laws took effect July 1. What you need to know

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Hundreds of new laws took effect July 1, some demanding new habits for many Virginians, like a measure telling adults in the back seat of a car to buckle their seat belts.

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Some mean change for much smaller groups, like a long-sought law saying politicians can't use campaign funds for personal expenses.

For those keeping score, the General Assembly passed 916 bills. Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 721 into law.

Most took effect July 1, but some such as House Bill 2036 were deemed emergencies. That bill declared "exhibition driving" -- spinning a car by stomping on the brake and the gas pedal at the same time, or carrying people on the roof or hood -- to be a misdemeanor.

With votes of four-fifths from both the House of Delegates and state Senate, this bill took effect immediately.

For others, such as Senate Bill 936 and House Bill 2252, which detail ways people on probation can shorten the time they're supervised, legislators wanted to take a second vote next year before the new law could take effect.

Here's a look at some new laws that take effect Tuesday.

Seat belts

House Bill 2475 says all adult passengers in a motor vehicle, including those in back seats, must buckle up when the vehicle is moving on a public highway. Previously, only adults in the front seat had to. All kids had to, as well.

Politics

Senate Bill 1002 and House Bill 2165, passed after some 12 years of pushing from reform-minded legislators, say politicians can't tap their campaign funds for personal expenses. In years past, this has included such things as club memberships, parking tickets and a fancy Facebook video showing off a legislator's waterskiing skills.

Taxes

House Bill 1600, the budget bill, increased the standard deduction on income taxes by $250 for single filers and $500 for couples filing a joint return. It also set one-time rebates of $200 for single filers and $400 for joint filers, to be paid in October.

Crime

House Bill 2657 and Senate Bill 746 say selling fatal overdoses with detectable amounts of fentanyl is involuntary manslaughter, a felony punishable by one to 10 years in prison. This was a compromise over a bill state Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, pushed for three years that would make selling any fatal overdose a felony homicide punishable by up to 40 years in prison.

House Bill 1715 and Senate Bill 939 say stealing mail is a felony.

House Bill 2308 says inhaling nitrous oxide gas to get high is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail.

House Bill 2117 says people seeking help from a police officer or EMT for an overdose or sexual assault won't be arrested for drug possession or public drunkenness.

Senate Bill 1053 and House Bill 2124 say it's a misdemeanor, subject to up to 12 months in jail, to use artificial intelligence-created text, audio, video or images to commit fraud. Using AI-created digital content to say something false about another is covered by libel, slander and defamation law.

Waterworks

House Bill 2749 and Senate Bill 1408, enacted in the wake of Richmond's water-less week in early January, say waterworks must report equipment failures and contaminant release to the state Office of Drinking Water within two hours of discovery.

Workplace

House Bill 1730 says employers can be sued if an employee while at work hurts or kills someone; the victim must show the employer didn't exercise reasonable care over the employee.

Youth

House Bill 1946 and Senate Bill 1060 raise the age for possession of tobacco and hemp products from 18 to 21.

House Bill 2222 and Senate Bill 1255 say juveniles can't be shackled in court unless a judge finds it is needed and says so in writing. In some localities youths were routinely shackled.

House Bill 1549 bars Virginians from allowing minors with no driver's license or learner's permit to drive a motor vehicle.

House Bill 2493 raises the age for participating in fantasy contests from 18 to 21.

School

House Bill 2601 says teachers have to keep a daily record of attendance for each class period.

Senate Bill 1240 and House Bill 2774 require school principals to report student overdoses to parents within 24 hours.

Senate Bill 738 and House Bill 1961 direct school boards to develop policies on when students can have and use cellphones.

Family conflict

House Bill 2246 says funeral directors can go ahead with a funeral if authorized by any next of kin 30 days after learning that families can't agree on what to do.

Housing

Senate Bill 884 says tenants can end a lease early if they need to because they've been a victim of family or sexual abuse, stalking or human trafficking.

Consumer law

Senate Bill 754 says getting or disclosing personal information about a person's reproductive or sexual health is a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

Antisemitism

House Bill 2783 says placing Nazi symbols or emblems on private property or a public place to intimidate others is a felony punishable by a 1- to 5-year prison term.

Dave Ress

(804) 649-6948

dress@timesdispatch.com

More coverage

INSIDE: Ban on Styrofoam food containers in Virginia goes into effect on July 1. Page AX

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