233 laws will hit the books Monday

At 12:01 a.m. Monday — a minute after midnight tonight and 60 days after the Legislature adjourned — Utahns will have 233 new laws to obey.

All told, lawmakers passed 312 new laws in their 2005 general session. A handful of bills have been in effect at least a month, taking effect upon the governor's signature. And some legislation, along with expenditures, start at the beginning of the state's fiscal year July 1. But the bulk of the bills approved by the 2005 Legislature and signed by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. take effect Monday.

Legislators were a bit more frugal this year: at the same time last year Utahns had 301 new laws to obey from the 2004 Legislature. Some of the new laws, with their assigned bill number in parentheses:

• To get a divorce you must attend at least one mediation session with your soon-to-be-ex-spouse to help settle any yet-unresolved issues (HB4).

• If you get in a traffic accident, even a little fender-bender, you have to provide the other driver your insurance information (HB24).

• So-called "pocket bikes" are outlawed from operating on public roads or paths unless the bike is licensed by the state for such purposes and the driver is also licensed (HB159).

• All midwives can now be licensed by the state (HB25).

• You can't recklessly or intentionally drive your car within 3 feet of a bicyclist, unless road conditions force you closer to the rider (HB49).

• Victims of some serious crimes can pay to put a new lock on his or her rental unit and not have to wait for the owner to do it (HB184).

• It's a clear Class A misdemeanor for refusing to stop walking away or running away from a police officer if he tells you to stop (SB146).

• Students applying for a low-income fee waiver must provide documentation proving they are eligible for the waiver (HB183).

• There are enhanced penalties for a second domestic violence offense if committed within five years of your first offense (HB59).

• Personal care attendants, who are mostly people who take care of the elderly, must now pass criminal background checks (HB64).

• Charter schools may give student enrollment preferences to students who live near the school (HB136).

• You can get a refund on a hunting or fishing license if you become ill or injured and can't use your license (HB177).

• The current law on telephone harassment now also applies to the sending of harassing e-mails (HB221).

• The previously controversial Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship fund begins, with $100,000 in tuition reimbursements available for qualifying families (HB249).