New law is an ever changing field that every lawyer should stay abreast of. While this practice area isn’t currently a large part of the legal profession, it is one that will only continue to grow. Firms that explore this practice can create an entirely new revenue stream without sacrificing other areas of the practice that are more traditional.

How a law becomes a law

The process by which a bill is created in Congress is very complex. A representative or senator will sponsor a bill, and it will be assigned to a committee that will research, debate and make changes. If the bill passes committee, it will be sent to the other chamber where it will be voted on. If it passes both chambers, the president will sign it into law.

A law that prevents people whose cars have been stolen from being charged tickets, fees or fines by red light or speed camera operators.

Another law makes it easier to file a petition for a protective order against an abusive partner or spouse. Under the new law, applicants can do so by phone or email instead of having to visit a county courthouse in person.

Efforts to stop discrimination against braids, locks and twists have been successful. Under this new law, hair texture and styles associated with race are protected against discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodations.

The laws that will take effect on Jan. 1 include a broad criminal justice reform package and several consumer protection measures. Among them, the SAFE-T Act, which ends cash bail for a wide range of criminal defendants, will go into effect. But a judge’s ruling in Kankakee County has delayed its implementation in the 65 Illinois counties that challenged it.

Under this new law, City agencies that experience a data breach involving private identifying information will be required to promptly disclose the breach to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. The law also aligns the City’s privacy laws with requirements under New York State law. This is in response to a number of recent high profile data breaches involving NYC agencies. A new search page allows users to see all enacted laws and switch what year they’re looking at on the fly. The page also includes laws that were vetoed and proposals that did not pass during the given legislative session. This feature is only available on the desktop version of New York Laws.