The Virginia laws going into effect on July 1
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It's that time of year again. Hundreds of new Virginia laws take effect on Tuesday.
Here are some major ones to know.
Education
🚫 Schools must adopt anti-cyberbullying policies, including for off-campus situations, that list resources for victims.
They also have to notify parents of a student who overdosed on campus or at a school activity within 24 hours.
Food and drink
🍴 Food vendors, including grocery stores, with 20 or more locations are no longer allowed to use Styrofoam containers. The ban expands to all food vendors next July.
🍔 Food delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash have to show the total price you'll pay upfront, including extra service fees, instead of at checkout.
Health
🚭 If you're under 21 and have a vape, officers can deem it contraband and take it from you.
🤰🏻 Virginia Medicaid will cover up to 10 doula visits, four during pregnancy and six in the 12 months after a patient gives birth.
Public safety
📝 All Virginia law enforcement agencies have to provide a yearly report on every type of surveillance technology they use, including those they access through third-party services.
🚨 Placing Nazi symbols on someone's private property or on a highway to intimidate people is a Class 6 felony.
🔍 Police can't knowingly and intentionally lie to kids during questioning to get a confession.
📬 Stealing someone's mail from USPS is now a Class 6 felony and local, not just federal, prosecutors can charge you for it.
Social media
👀 Child influencers, or children whose parents are profiting off making content with them, will have their earnings put aside into a trust account they can access when they turn 18.
Sports
🏈 No one under 21 can take part in a "fantasy contest" like fantasy football due to the similarities to sports betting.
Transportation
😩 Maximum towing fees are about to jump from $150 to $210.
🛣️ Everyone, including those in the backseat, has to wear a seatbelt on a public highway.
🚶🏻♀️ If a driver fails to stop for pedestrians and a pedestrian gets hurt, it's a Class 1 misdemeanor.
What's ahead: Starting Jan. 1 ...
- 🛑 If you reply "stop" or "unsubscribe" to unsolicited texts from a company, they have to honor it for 10 years.
- 💰 People who qualify for unemployment benefits will get $52 more per week than they currently do.
- 📱 Social media companies have to check whether a user is under 16 and then limit their daily time on the platform to one hour.