New Laws In California and Our First Rostra Prediction Game of 2013

It’s a time-honored New Year’s tradition to review all the new laws taking effect starting on January 1. So I thought I’d get a look at new laws affected Rostrafarians in California. I nearly choked on my breakfast when I looked at the number. There are 837 new laws taking effect as of today. Seriously? Our state was so far askew we needed over 800 pieces of legislation passed to patch us up? Holy moly.

So what all do these laws cover? Running down the full list (which you can access here), I see laws addressing the following: informing women about their dense breast tissue after a mammogram (come on, I can’t make that up); solid waste facilities; acquisition or replacement of motor vehicles by the California State University system; hot air balloon operation; a long gun open carry ban (dang); yet more texting and driving rules that the idiots who do it will ignore; need I go on?

I became curious whether this number was out of line compared to previous years. For the last five years, the total number of laws passed in California has been lower:

2012: 760 passed

2011: 725 passed

2010: 696 passed (although 953 were passed total; Governor Schwarzenegger only signed 696)

2009: 730 passed

2008: 750 passed

This isn’t the record, however. Going back to the Pete Wilson era, the Governor signed 951 laws into being in 1997; another 197 laws weren’t signed.

I could get into a full-on Libertarian rant about the need for fewer laws, not more laws, but it would be pointless. What isn’t pointless: The First Rostra Poll of 2013!

Post your prediction here: How many new state laws will go into effect one year from today in California, starting January 1, 2014? Remember, this will be the number actually signed into law. For the tiebreaker, you can tell us how many laws the Legislature passed total. We will give the winner swell props and some sort of prize.