Law new is more than just a phrase used to describe alternative legal service providers (ALSPs), startups or subsidiary law firm subsidiaries that augment traditional practices. It is a concept that enables firms to discover the kinds of legal help that they never could before, unleash potential and expand their capabilities in ways that are more effective, more efficient, more economical and better for clients. It’s also a strategy for creating the kinds of revenue streams that can be vital to their long-term success.
At the stroke of midnight, hundreds of state laws silently became law as Americans celebrated the start of 2023. With topics ranging from quirky to serious, these new laws will impact the lives of residents across the country in one way or another.
A new law in Missouri makes it a misdemeanor to sleep or camp without authorization on state-owned land. The law aimed at homeless people, which goes into effect in April, also allows cities to use a portion of their public safety funds to establish homeless outreach teams.
The law also expands eligibility for victims of crime to receive compensation by eliminating the requirement that they report and provide documentation of a crime in order to receive victim compensation. Other life-saving new laws include a measure named after the death of Matthew Horan, which helps decrease the chances of accidental drug overdoses by allowing health care providers to offer fentanyl and other adulterant testing supplies to the public.
Other new laws include a new law that makes it illegal to knowingly tamper with an emergency siren, which will go into effect in July. The law is a reaction to concerns that siren tampering may interfere with emergency responders’ ability to hear and understand a vehicle alarm when the emergency siren is activated.
Federal laws and regulations are made by Congress, the executive branch of the United States government. Bills to create laws are formally introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate, where they are assigned numbers and titles based on the chamber in which they are introduced.
Once a bill is passed in both chambers of Congress, it becomes a law that can be enforced by federal courts and agencies. The new law is published in the Statutes at Large, a collection of all laws enacted during each session of Congress. Each law includes the title and short description, its legislative history, the text of the law, and the statutory references and footnotes. A law also has a “law library” number, which is a unique alphanumeric code that links to the slip law text after it is released. Laws are also made by state legislatures and local governments, and by private organizations such as non-profit legal entities, not-for-profit legal organizations, political parties and religious communities. The laws of the United States are codified in the Constitution, statutes, case law, and administrative and regulatory materials.