New 2020 Laws Increase Minimum Wage, Let Cyclists Ignore Stop Signs, Keep Pre-Teens In Booster Seats

Get ready for a host of new laws across the country coming this year – some good, some stupid. Of course, even the good ones will have downsides and unforeseen consequences, but for now we’ll just talk about what the laws are supposed to do.

CNN rounded up the most interesting laws coming to the country in the coming month, including 72 jurisdictions that are increasing minimum wage despite the numerous studies that show people end up getting their hours cut or lose their jobs entirely when wages are increased by force. Cities that have increased minimum wage have seen businesses close and people lose their jobs.

“Twenty-one states and 26 cities and counties, mostly in California, will raise the minimum wage on New Year’s Day. In 17 of those jurisdictions, the new rate will reach or exceed $15 an hour,” CNN reported. “Four more states and 23 more cities and counties will join later in the year, with 15 of them raising wages to $15 an hour or more. Illinois and St. Paul, Minnesota, will raise their minimum wages twice in 2020.”

Here are some of the other new laws coming this year:

More Data Privacy

Or so we’re promised. The California Consumer Privacy Act claims it will allow residents in the Golden State “to demand that companies disclose what data they have collected on them,” CNN reported. “And if users want that data deleted, companies will have to comply.”

Middle Schooler Booster Seats

Washington State has decided that while your kid can come to school without being vaccinated, it is too unsafe for them to travel without a booster seat – even if they’ve started middle school. A new law requires children under 4’9” to use booster seats until they turn 13. Trying to be cool in middle school was already hard enough!

Cyclists Will Be Able To Legally Flout Common Sense

Cyclists in Oregon will be allowed to just blow through stop signs instead of stopping at them like cars and sane people do. The law will let cyclists “treat stop signs and blinking red lights as yields,” CNN reported, and merely slow down instead of stopping. Sounds totally safe.

No Texting While Driving

Florida and Massachusetts will start issuing tickets to drivers who text and drive. You’ll get a $30 ticket for a non-moving violation (sending a text while stopped at a red light) and $60 for a moving violation.

Hair Freedom

Employers and schools in California will no longer be able to ban common African-American hairstyles like braids, afros, twists, and locks as part of their dress codes.

It’s amazing that it took until 2020 for these hairstyles to be allowed.

Plastic Bag Bans

Oregon and Albuquerque, New Mexico, will ban plastic bags at grocery stores. People will either have to pay for paper bags or bring their own filthy reusable bag from home. The problem with reusable bags is that people don’t clean them often enough, meaning germs from homes are being brought into the grocery store and festering in uncleaned cloth. So healthy.

Illinois Pot

Weed will be legal in the Prairie State for people 21 and over.

“Under the law, Illinois residents will be able to purchase and possess 30 grams of cannabis, five grams of cannabis concentrate and cannbis-infused products containing no more than 500 milligrams of THC. People who don’t live in Illinois can buy half of each of those amounts,” CNN reported. “Medical patients can buy marijuana seeds and grow up to five plants at home, as long as the plants are kept out of public view. The law also pardons individuals with nonviolent convictions for amounts of cannabis up to 30 grams.”

Expanded Sexual Abuse Laws

California and Illinois are extending the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims, meaning someone can wait until someone is famous or successful to bring decades old allegations that are nearly impossible to prove and destroy someone’s life.

Gun Laws

Colorado is restricting gun rights by enacting dangerous “red flag” laws that are ripe for abuse. Family and friends can claim someone is unstable and have that person’s guns taken away from them without that person being able to defend themselves in court.

Tennessee, on the other hand, is going to make it easy for people to obtain a concealed carry handgun permit.