Long known for passing controversial bills into written law, the state legislature has enacted and placed into effect several new laws that the general public may not know about. Here’s a list of some of the newest laws to hit the books in the state of Arizona.

Arizona Laws Now in Effect

• Lyft and Uber drivers must now carry at least $250,000 in liability insurance. While the drivers will not face many of the same regulations that taxi drivers face, they must also pass background checks and vehicle inspections.
• Another law addresses drivers ticketed for speeding. Before this law was passed, drivers could only go to traffic school once every two years to clear their driving record after a speeding ticket. That timeframe has been shortened to one year.
• On the healthcare side, women in Arizona who buy health insurance on the federal exchange can no longer purchase optional abortion coverage.
• Naturopathic doctors will face tighter regulations for recommending medical marijuana.
• Plastic bags are here to stay. It’s now illegal for cities to place bans on plastic bags or for supermarkets to charge for them.
• Hunters who harass other hunters now face having their hunting license revoked.
• Individuals are now allowed to get any lab test from a licensed clinical laboratory without doctor’s orders.
• The darn fence is going up. The Joint Border Security Advisory Committee is now allowed to use the $264,000 collected from private donations to build a physical or virtual fence as close to the Arizona-Mexico border as practical.
• Arizona is the first state to require high school students to pass a civics test in order to graduate. The test is the same 100 question test used by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization.
• Panhandlers are not allowed to come within 15 feet of you while at the ATM or bank, or to touch you or obstruct your path.

For more information on how the Arizona legislature works, or how to find out about pending legislation, head to www.azleg.gov.