New laws arrive

A ban on reading, writing and sending text messages while driving is the most prominent in a laundry list of new laws that will take affect today for California residents.

The ban follows a similar law that went into effect midyear that forbids California drivers from talking on hand-held cellphones while driving.

The new law is aimed at curing what many drivers considered a ridiculous irony: While it was illegal to hold a cellphone to your ear with one hand and use the other to steer, it was not explicitly illegal to avert your eyes altogether and use both of your hands to type a message to a friend.

Another highway restriction makes it illegal to drive with even a .01% blood alcohol concentration if you have been cited for driving under the influence in the past.

The standard legal limit for blood alcohol is .08%, but the added requirements will make it harder for past offenders to legally get behind the wheel after drinking.

Local legislators also sponsored a few new laws that have already been added to the books over the course of the year.

Among them is a bill by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore that reforms the procedure that parking ticket processing firms have to go through so that they have less incentive to ticket excessively. Also, a bill by Sen. Tom Harman makes it easier for catering businesses to get permits to sell beer and wine.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.