Law Changes

California
Contracts
Provides that any provision of a contract that purports to allow a deduction from a person's wages for the cost of emigrating and transporting that person to the United States would be void as against public policy. Requires a local prosecutor to present evidence to the court, and requires the court to hold a hearing to consider, whether a matter involving human trafficking in multiple jurisdictions should proceed in the county of filing, or whether one or more counts should be severed.
Read the Statute - 2007 CA A.B. 1278

Wages: Execution of Release of Claim or Right
Amends existing law that prohibits an employer from requiring the execution of a release of a claim or right on account of wages due. Defines execution of a release to include requiring an employee, as a condition of being paid, to execute a statement of the hours worked during a pay period which the employer knows to be false.
Read the Statute - 2007 CA A.B. 2075

Criminal Communications
Makes it a misdemeanor for a person to make telephone calls or contact with an electronic communication device with the intent to annoy another person at any place. Provides that a person is subject to the described penalties if the person knowingly permits any telephone or electronic communication device under the person's control to be used for the prohibited purpose.
Read the Statute - 2007 CA S.B. 129

Delaware
Harassment and Stalking
Enhances the offense of harassment and stalking to better protect citizens. Changes the number of incidents required in order to be charged with stalking as well as the penalty level associated with stalking.
Read the Statute - 2007 DE S.B. 253

Scalp Hair Prosthesis
Provides that all group and blanket health insurance policies, contracts or certificates delivered or issued for delivery in Delaware by any health insurer, health service corporation or managed care organization which provide for medical or hospital expenses and also provides coverage for other prostheses, must provide coverage for expenses for a scalp hair prosthesis worn for hair loss suffered as a result of alopecia areata, resulting from an autoimmune disease.
Read the Statute - 2007 DE H.B. 290

Massachusetts
Nonprescription Enteral Formulas
Increases required insurance coverage of nonprescription low protein and enteral formulas. Relates to group insurance, retired public employees, domestic business company employee insurance, non-profit hospital service corporations, medical services corporations and health maintenance corporations.
Read the Statute - 2007 MA H.B. 925

Missouri
Confidential Unemployment Information
Changes the law regarding the disclosure of confidential unemployment information.
Read the Statute - 2008 MO H.B. 2041

New Hampshire
Firefighter Age Requirements
Clarifies the conditions and requirements for a youth training and employment as a firefighter.
Read the Statute - 2007 NH H.B. 1410

Obesity Insurance Coverage
Requires group and individual health insurance coverage for the diseases and ailments caused by obesity and morbid obesity and treatment for such, including bariatric surgery, pre-operative psychological screening and counseling, behavior modification, weight loss, exercise regimens, nutritional counseling, and post-operative follow- up, overview, and counseling of dietary, exercise, and lifestyle changes.
Read the Statute - 2007 NH S.B. 312

Indoor Smoking Act
Establishes administrative fines for persons violating the Indoor Smoking Act. Repeals a provision allowing for an adjudication hearing prior to the administration of fines.
Read the Statute - 2007 NH S.B. 532

New York
Broadcast Employee Freedom to Work Act
Enacts the Broadcast Employees Freedom to Work Act. States a broadcasting industry employer may not require as a condition of employment that a broadcast employee or prospective broadcast employee refrain from obtaining certain employment.
Read the Statute - 2007 MY A.B. 2124

Worker Layoff Notification
Enacts the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Provides an employer may not order a mass layoff, or employment loss, unless, at least 90 days before the order takes effect, the employer gives written notice of the order to affected employees and the representatives of those employees and specified government entities. Provides specified payments to employees by employers who fail to give the required notice.
Read the Statute - 2007 NY S.B. 8212

Consecutive Work Hours by Nurses
Restricts consecutive hours of work by nurses. Provides that no such employer may require a nurse to work more than that nurse's regularly scheduled work hours except in certain specified emergency situations. Does not prohibit a nurse from voluntarily working overtime. Provides that the refusal of a nurse to work beyond regularly scheduled hours does not solely constitute patient abandonment or neglect.
Read the Statute - 2007 NY S.B. 8637

North Carolina
Agricultural Worker Pesticide Exposure
Adds agricultural workers to those protected against retaliation in the workplace. Directs the pesticide board to adopt rules requiring licensed pesticide applicators to record the specific time of day when each pesticide application is completed, as recommended by the Governor's task force on preventing agricultural pesticide exposure.
Read the Statute - 2007 NC S.B. 847

Rhode Island
Enteral Nutrition Product Insurance
Requires insurance providers in the state to provide coverage for enteral nutrition products when determined to be medically necessary and ordered by a physician. Includes group health, group hospital and medical expense insurance policies. Provides that coverage for certain inherited diseases must include food products modified to be low protein.
Read the Statute - 2007 RI H.B. 7441

South Carolina
Wage Withholding
Relates to wage withholding for the collection and enforcement of child support payments. Provides that a family court will order wage withholding upon finding that a person, who is not required to pay through wage withholding or the family court, is, or has been, in arrears in an amount equal to three or more month's support obligation.
Read the Statute - 2007 SC H.B. 3478