NEW LOUISIANA LAWS GO INTO EFFECT TODAY

A raft of more than 260 new Louisiana laws take effect today. When the legislature fails to include a start date in any new law, they go into effect on August 1 by default. Here is what is new: 

• MINIMUM MARRIAGE AGE Before this new law, Louisiana had no minimum age for marriage, but people under 18 needed parental consent and those under 16 needed judicial permission. In a hotly contested, last-minute bill, lawmakers agreed to set an age floor at 16. As of today, people under 16 cannot get married at all in Louisiana. Anyone 16 or 17 years old cannot marry someone older by three years or more. Those 16- and 17-year-olds who want to marry will need permission from parents and a judge.
• ABORTION Access to abortions done via medication is shrinking around the state. Medication abortions, administered through pills that induce miscarriage at early stages of pregnancy, must be performed at Louisiana’s three licensed abortion clinics.  Also, any abortion clinic employee who believes a woman seeking the procedure is a victim of human trafficking, rape or incest must report that to law enforcement immediately.
• CHILD SAFETY SEATS Louisiana’s new and toughened child safety seat law requires children to stay in child restraint systems longer based on height, weight and age. A Facebook video for parents from the Louisiana State Police sets out the new law’s requirements.
• HAZING In response to a 2017 alcohol-related hazing death on the LSU campus, new laws try to force colleges to report hazing allegations quickly to law enforcement or face a fine of up to $10,000. College police departments are also empowered to respond to hazing allegations.
• MEDICAL MARIJUANA Medical marijuana patients will be able to use an inhaler (like asthma patients use) when medical marijuana becomes available in Louisiana, perhaps as early as next month.
• SEXUAL HARASSMENT  Louisiana state employees can no longer reach taxpayer-financed settlements for sexual harassment claims that include nondisclosure clauses barring a victim from talking about the allegations.
• CHEMICAL CASTRATION A Louisiana law authorizing judges to order chemical castration for certain convicted sex offenders now applies to sexual battery convictions when the victim is under 13 years old. 
• GATOR FARMING Certain information about alligator farming and breeding is now exempt from public records law. You can all breathe easier now.
• PARENTAL PUNISHMENT Parents who scuffle with referees at children’s sport events face up to 90 days in jail and mandatory counseling if convicted of the new crime of harassment of a school or recreation athletic contest official.  These trials should be entertaining.
• ANIMAL SHELTERS Animal shelters cannot accept stray or unwanted animals solely to euthanize them for research facilities or sell animals for research or experimentation. 
• CHILD SAFETY SEATS Louisiana agencies can no longer deny or revoke an occupational license when someone falls behind on student loan repayments.