(WSET) — A series of new laws are set to take effect in the Commonwealth starting July 1, impacting businesses, drivers, and schools.
One significant change is the ban on Styrofoam for businesses with 20 or more locations in the state. Customers will notice a shift to plastic and paper cups and containers when getting food from a restaurant.
Additionally, a new seatbelt law requires all adult passengers to buckle up in the back seat of a car. Previously, the law mandated seatbelts only for front-seat passengers. This new regulation is a secondary offense, meaning drivers cannot be pulled over solely for this violation. However, Bethany Harrison, the Commonwealth’s Attorney, explained, “But if they pull the car over for speeding, going through a stoplight and they see in the back seat that someone does not have a seatbelt on, then they can issue a ticket.”
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Schools will also see changes with the implementation of “bell to bell” no cell phone policies in every public and secondary school. Exceptions are made for health concerns or educational accommodations.
A critical legal update involves the sale of drugs containing fentanyl. If someone knowingly sells or distributes drugs and the recipient dies, the seller could be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Harrison noted, “The drug dealers not taking part in the person using it, that that is not a connection of time place and cause of connection for there to be a felony homicide charge. So, that’s why we require this law so that you can prosecute for some theory a criminal homicide.”
Other laws taking effect include traffic infractions for failing to stop for pedestrians and the inclusion of cyberbullying in school conduct guidelines.
