Utahns have 251 new laws to obey come midnight.
The bulk of the 2000 Legislature's work flows into the Utah Code Annotated 60 days after lawmakers adjourn — and that's May 1.
Citizens, prison inmates, health insurers, other companies — and state officialdom itself — must comply with hundreds of pages of statutes and spending plans.
As of Monday, Utah's Human Rights Day is now called Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Grandparents can more easily sue to get visitation rights to see their grandchildren. Drivers can be pulled over if anyone in their car 18 or younger isn't wearing a seat belt.
Court officials must provide records of those adjudicated mentally ill or who used other insanity defenses to state gun background-check officials. The state and cities can't sue gun manufacturers. Motor vehicle officials can no longer sell car and driver license information to telemarketers and others.
While the 2000 session didn't see a general tax cut, taxes weren't increased, either, so nothing along that line to worry about Monday. Pay raises for state employees, teachers and university professors don't come until later — July 1 for state workers and many higher education officials, the start of the next school year for many public education teachers.
This is an election year for GOP Gov. Mike Leavitt, all 75 House members and half of the 29-member Senate. So the governor and most lawmakers walked carefully during the 45-day general session.
While Republicans passed what they called a "crime-fighting package" of bills and spending, they refused to deal with concealed weapons in schools and churches and several other gun safety measures that past Deseret News public opinion surveys show are favored by most Utahns.
Democrats — hoping to gain four seats in the Senate and win control there and capture enough seats in the House to at least have a third of the members — vow to make guns and schools major issues in the fall legislative elections.
One such law scheduled to go into effect Monday will not. The Legislature had decided that students who brought a firearm or bomb to a public secondary school should face mandatory expulsion. A U.S. District judge on Friday ordered the state not to implement the measure pending resolution of a lawsuit. The concern is that it takes away discretionary authority of school district superintendents and may put $38 million in federal education funds at risk.
Here are some of the new laws that could affect how you work, play and generally act in society:
The fine for anyone in a vehicle not wearing a seat belt goes to $45. All but $15 of that will be waived if the offender attends an education course on seat-belt safety.
Prison inmates can't get Playboy or other sexually explicit material.
Concealed weapon instructors must meet new requirements and concealed weapon permit holders must "have general familiarity with the use of deadly force by a private citizen."
Juvenile felony crimes will be included in background gun purchase checks for adults up to 10 years after the juvenile crime.
Each public school must have a safety plan in case of natural disaster or other emergency.
Health insurance companies, if they provide mental health coverage, must offer a wide range of such coverage.
Health insurers also must be more flexible in maternity coverage, so new moms don't have to leave the hospital within 48 hours of delivery.
Small-town municipal candidates have to file campaign finance reports.
By law, not rule, lobbyists must register with the state and file financial disclosure statements or face a $50 fine.
Local schools, governments and special districts must give citizens notice in the mail of certain bond elections not held during regular elections.
County officials in most of the larger counties can place fluoridation of public water systems on the ballot for voter approval.
Judges standing for retention election will have more critical data about their service included in voter information pamphlets.
Hunters can't kill wildlife while trespassing.
Penalties are increased for "aggressive driving," and unmarked Utah Highway Patrol cars can be used to stake out highways looking for dangerous drivers.
The cost of getting a car out of impound after a DUI arrest doubles — from $100 to $200.
Further restrictions are placed on unauthorized charges put on your utility or telephone bill.
Specific notice must be given to condominium owners before someone who manages the project can enter your home.
Victims of violent crimes no longer have to make claims to the Crime Victims' Reparation Fund within a certain time frame.
Fees at several state golf courses go up $1.50.
Parents can't claim "reasonable discipline" of their child if the child suffers serious bodily injury, serious physical injury or death.
Harassing or killing a "service animal," like a Seeing Eye dog, becomes a crime.
Complete list of bills passed by the 2000 Utah Legislature published by Deseret News, March 4, 2000.