New state laws take effect today

By The Daily Journal (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, August 2, 2008

Many new state laws passed during the 2008 legislative session will take effect today. The new laws include everything from the creation of a graduated driver’s license for young drivers, to efforts to help homeowners and renters dealing with foreclosure.

Parents and teenagers will be taking notice of the state’s new graduated driver’s license law. For the first six months of holding a license, a driver with a provisional license (under age 18) cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless it is from home to work, home to school, for work, or they are accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 25 years old. This prohibition doesn’t apply if the teen is accompanied by a parent or guardian. Also, for the first six months, a driver cannot drive with more than one passenger under 20 years old unless they are a family member. For the second six months of holding their license, a driver cannot drive with more than three passengers under 20 years old from outside the family.

"Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers in this country,” said Sen. Dan Skogen (DFL-Hewitt). “The new graduated driver's license law will help new drivers gain valuable behind-the-wheel experience, while minimizing the distractions so often responsible for crashes involving teen drivers. Not only will this new law save the lives of teenagers in the state, they will protect every motorist on the road.”

Foreclosure legislation becoming law includes efforts to facilitate early intervention by foreclosure counselors, protections for renters to ensure they are made aware the property they are renting has entered into foreclosure and that any eviction notice from a tenant’s rental record will be expunged if they vacate a rental property because of the owner’s foreclosure, and a law that will make it easier for abandoned properties to be turned back to the lender.

“The mortgage foreclosure crisis is hurting nearly every community in Minnesota,” said Skogen. “This session, we passed prudent measures to help families keep their homes, protect renters impacted by foreclosed homes, and aid communities struggling with steep increases in foreclosures.”

Other laws going into effect today include:

• Legislation allowing wronged insurance policyholders to get some attorney fees paid if they have to sue an insurance company that recklessly disregards the policy and denies a claim with no basis for denial.

• A bill allowing very low-income persons access to their belongings if their vehicle is impounded.

• A new law requiring a court to ask if a convicted defendant is a member or veteran of the armed forces and whether he or she has been diagnosed with mental illness. If so, the court will consider appropriate treatment.

• Composing, reading, or sending electronic messages on a wireless communications device is prohibited while operating a motor vehicle. Exceptions are allowed for GPS use for navigation purposes, making cell phone calls, using the device in hands-free mode, or emergency situations.

• The “Hannah Montana” law makes it gross misdemeanor to sell, distribute or use software to get around security and move to the front of an Internet ticket-buyer line.