More Than 900 New State Laws Hitting The Books In 2015

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - New laws are hitting the books in California on January 1, 2015. They involve everything from drivers' licenses to plastic bags. More than 900 new state laws headed your way.

First is the state's epic drought. It forced lawmakers to get tough on regulating groundwater. Say bye-bye to "pumping as you please." Water districts can now manage the groundwater under your property.

And for convicted felons, it's a second chance. Prisoners will be released with a California ID in hand. The hope is to help those who did time land a new job.

And it'll be a rush on the DMV. The undocumented will be allowed to get a driver's license for the first time.

"What AB60 does is making sure that all drivers in our state know rules of the road and are insured," said Joseph Villela, the director of policy for the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

In the next three years, more than 1 million are expected to take the test so they can drive without fear.

"If you are undocumented now and driving without a driver's license, you are at risk of your car being taken away and being given a ticket, so this driver's license will prevent that from happening," said Villela.

On the consumer front, the plastic bag is going the way of the horse and buggy. California is the first state to ban single-use plastic bags, but not overnight. This new law will take years to fully roll out.

But much sooner, there'll be a change to your smartphone. On July 1, every single smartphone sold in California must have a kill switch option. Why? To make the gadgets less attractive to thieves.

And for those who use a phone to post naked selfies of other people without them knowing, beware. In 2015, the law says you are committing a misdemeanor and could be on the hook for monetary damages.

Those are just a handful of the hundreds of new laws in the New Year.

Of the more than 900 laws legislators agreed on this year, the Governor vetoed 143.

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