New laws for new year

California will be joining the ranks of 30 other states Sunday that require booster seat use for children under the age of 8, unless at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall.

Senate Bill 949 also requires those same children to ride in a vehicle's back seat.

Previously, children up to age 6, or weighing less than 60 pounds, were required to use booster seats. Children younger than 1 and weighing less than 20 pounds are still required to ride in a rear-facing child safety seat.

"Vehicle seat belts are made to fit adults. Children riding with only a seat belt can be seriously injured by the belt if it fits across their abdomen and not their hips," Amy Schutter, director of Student Support Services and the child passenger safety technician with the Tehama County Department of Education, said in a statement. "A booster seat lifts the child up so the vehicle seatbelt fits properly across the shoulder and hips."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, children are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash if they are riding in booster seats instead of just a vehicle belt, the Department of Education repor ed.

Schutter advises to use a five-step test to determine if children older than 8 are ready for a vehicle seat belt. If the answer to any of the questions is "no," the child still needs a booster seat.

The only exceptions to this law are pickup trucks with no rear seat or side facing jump seats, all rear seats are occupied by other children under the age of 7, medical reasons, or a child restraint cannot be properly installed in the rear seat.

The law is reported to impact approximately 1 million children in the state.

New booster seats can be purchased from several retail outlets starting at $15.

According to Tom Watson, the child safety seat technician with the Corning Police Department, the fine in Tehama County for failing to properly secure children in child safety and booster seats is more than $450, and one point on the driver's record.

A portion of the funds from traffic citations and court fines goes back into the community to support an education and low cost car seat distribution program for low-income families, administered by the Tehama County Injury Prevention Task Force.

The task force provides free safety seat checks, education and the car seat purchase program for low-income families. Monthly car seat classes are offered in both English and Spanish and free car seat checks are done during organized community car seat checks or by appointment.

Members of the task force include representatives from the Tehama County Department of Education, Corning Police Department, Tehama Women's Health Specialists, Tehama County Health Services Agency and the California Highway Patrol.

For more information on this new law or child passenger safety, contact Schutter, 527-5811, or Watson, 824-7014.

A slew of other new laws go into affect on Monday:

Drunken Driving Law: Two measures signed into law alter driving under the influence penalties in noteworthy ways. A.B. 353 prohibits law enforcement from impounding a vehicle at a sobriety checkpoint if the driver's only offense is not having a valid driver license. Police must also make a reasonable attempt to identify the registered owner of the vehicle in order to release the vehicle to the registered owner or to a licensed driver authorized by the registered owner. A.B. 520 allows a person convicted of alcohol-related reckless driving to apply for a restricted license early if he or she complies with specified requirements, including the installation of an ignition-interlock device.

Employment Credit Check Law: Employers can no longer request credit reports for Californians unless they are working or seeking work in a financial institution, law enforcement or the state Justice Department. The law also exempts anyone who has access to people's bank or credit card account information, Social Security number and date of birth, has access to an employer's proprietary information or trade secrets, signs a check, credit card, financial contract, or transfers money for an employer, has access to more than $10,000 cash, or is a manager in certain industries.

Handgun Open Carry Law: Open-carry citizen handgun ban makes it illegal for someone to carry an unloaded handgun in plain sight or in vehicles. Violators pay $1,000 and could spend up to a year in jail on the misdemeanor charge. Californians can still get permits for concealed weapons. Exemptions to the law include law enforcement officers, persons who have been issued concealed weapons permits from a sheriff's department and hunting and shooting events.

Smoking Prohibited Law: A residential landlord can prohibit the smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products on the property, including any dwelling unit, building, other interior or exterior area, or the premises on which the property is located. For new tenants on or after Jan. 1, the areas where smoking are prohibited must be stated in the lease or rental agreement. For pre-existing tenants before 2012, a new provision prohibiting smoking is a change in the terms of tenancy that requires adequate written notice, depending on whether the tenancy is month-to-month or for a fixed term.

Gay History Law: Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Gay History Law, which mandates that school textbooks and social studies include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender accomplishments.

Human Trafficking Law: Enforces mandatory disclosure of efforts that companies take to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their entire supply chains.

Pregnancy Leave and Insurance: Eligible female employees can take four months pregnancy disability leave, under provisions of S.B. 299, and most state businesses must provide pregnancy insurance coverage for employees.

Cross Dressers' Dress Code Law: Company dress codes must accommodate transvestites and cross dressers under A.B. 887.

Gay Divorce Law: Provides that if a gay couple got married in California, but lives in a state that won't grant them a divorce, the California court will have jurisdiction to grant them a legal divorce. The case will be filed in the county where the gay couple got married.

California Renters Right to Recycling Law: Apartment building landlords will have to start providing recycling services for 7 million California tenants.