A new year means several new laws are taking effect in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
An increase in the minimum hourly wage and an overhaul of the state's public records law are the most notable laws taking effect in Massachusetts.
The minimum wage moved from $10 to $11 an hour on Sunday, putting a bit more cash into the wallets of about 400,000 workers. Massachusetts is among 19 states where the minimum wage is going up in 2017 as a result of new laws or cost-of-living allowances.
The public records law, approved earlier last year, aims to modernize what critics have decried as an outdated, frustrating and often expensive process for citizens trying to obtain documents that should be open to public inspection.
The law establishes stricter timetables for state agencies and municipalities to respond to public records requests. In most cases, the records must be produced within 10 days. Extensions may be granted of up to 20 days for agencies and 30 days for cities and towns, but only with a show of good cause for the delay.
What happens when a records request is still denied? The law puts the onus on the government to explain the refusal. Moreover, Massachusetts now joins 47 other states that allow judges to award attorney fees to citizens who sue for release of public records and win in court.
Another measure taking effect in Massachusetts with the new year is one requiring pharmaceutical companies to help people get rid of unwanted or unused prescription painkillers.
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The drug stewardship program was part of a wide-ranging law signed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in March that targets the deadly opioid addiction scourge. Preventing abuse of opiate painkillers is viewed as a key element of the strategy.
Manufacturers of pharmaceutical products must establish a convenient, state-approved collection plan for unwanted prescription drugs, either on their own or through a stewardship organization.
Over the border in New Hampshire, several dozen news laws are taking effect, including bans on selling synthetic urine and shining lasers at planes and efforts to increase transparency in government and protect private property.
Political committees will now be required to file donation reports during off-election years. That requirement is aimed at giving the public a look more often at who is giving money to politicians.
Many of the laws will affect just a small segment of the population, meaning most New Hampshire residents won't notice much of a change.
The more sweeping pieces of legislation, such as continuing Medicaid expansion and providing more money to fight the state's drug addiction crisis, took effect months ago.
