Laws that took effect July 1 seem to run the gamut, from hunters wearing blaze pink in the woods to new fines for motorists.

Beginning July 1, motorists who fail to drive on the right side of a highway, except when passing another vehicle, may be fined $100 per violation.

Also among the new laws related to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV):

Vehicle owners with an expired vehicle registration can renew online and use the printed receipt as proof of renewal until decals arrive, usually seven-to-10 business days later.

Before the new law went into effect, only customers who renewed their vehicle registration online before the expiration date could print and use a receipt as proof, according to the Virginia Customers with expired registrations were required to visit a DMV customer service center to complete their transaction.

The DMV can now extend an expiring driver’s license for temporarily out-of-state Virginians if good cause can be shown for it to remain valid. For example, a customer may not be able to return to Virginia to renew his driver’s license if caring for a loved one out of state. Customers will be charged a $10 fee to cover the cost of processing and shipping the credential.

House Bill 1622 increases the penalties for commercial drivers convicted of more than one driving under the influence (DUI) offense or a DUI offense committed with a high blood alcohol content. This law aligns the penalties for these offenses with those already in effect for standard DUI charges.

House Bill 2022 requires drivers to move vehicles from the roadway after a crash if the vehicles are able to be moved, no one was injured and the driver is capable of safely doing so. Before, the law did not require, but only suggested, moving vehicles from the roadway under those circumstances, according to the DMV.

The new law also gives Department of Transportation (VDOT) employees, or those acting on the department’s behalf, the authority to remove vehicles from traffic lanes as needed, if traffic flow is affected.

Criminal offenses

HB 1921 and SB 973 expand the penalty for battery against a health care provider who is engaged in the performance of his duties to apply in hospitals or in emergency rooms on the premises of any clinic or other facility rendering emergency care. Under current law, the penalties only apply to a battery against an emergency health care provider.

HB 2350 punishes the use of an electronic device to enter the property of another to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into a dwelling or occupied building located on such property, except in a lawful criminal investigation.

HB 2064 precludes a person who has been convicted of any violent felony from being eligible for first offender status for assault and battery against a family or household member, unless the prosecutor doesn’t object.

HB 2386 and SB 854 increases the grace period – from 30 days to 90 days after sentencing or judgment – for collection of unpaid court fines, costs, forfeitures, penalties, and restitution.

Domestic animals

SB 856  authorizes the governing body of a county or city to provide for a lifetime dog or cat license. The law also removes the minimum annual tax for a dog or cat, sets the maximum tax for a lifetime license at $50, and limits the fee for a duplicate dog or cat tag to $1.

Education

HB 1709 requires the policies and procedures prohibiting bullying and contained in each school board’s code of student conduct to direct the principal to notify the parent of any student involved in an alleged incident of bullying of the status of any investigation within five school days of the alleged incident.

Hunting

HB 1939 allows hunters to wear blaze pink instead of blaze orange hunting apparel, when required, during firearms deer hunting season or the special season for hunting deer with a muzzle-loading rifle.

HB 2255 creates a junior bear hunting license, separate from the combined big game hunting and junior hunting licenses, for any resident under the age of 16. The fee for the license is $5.50.

SB 968 removes the requirement that a license to hunt bear, deer, or turkey be carried in paper form, allowing it to be carried by electronic or computerized means.

Virginia ABC

Simplified rules for Virginia distilleries at festivals, and delivery of closed containers of alcohol to customer’s vehicles, are among several business-friendly laws that will affect Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

House Bill (HB) 2029 and Senate Bill (SB) 1448 benefit Virginia distilleries by allowing additional locations for a distillery store to participate in events or festivals throughout the state conducted for the purpose of featuring and educating the consuming public about their products. This expands the opportunities for distilleries to distribute products at licensed events.

HB 1801 permits off-premise wine and beer licensees to deliver closed containers of alcoholic beverages to a customer’s vehicle when: 1) that vehicle is parked in a designated space and 2) the online order of that wine or beer was placed in advance of the delivery.

HB 1743 creates a new historic cinema house license which authorizes the licensee to sell wine and beer for on premise consumption, either with or without meals, during any showing of a movie.

HB 1987 and SB 1391 created a new commercial lifestyle center license for mixed use commercial developments. The new law authorizes consumption throughout the premises of the development, including plazas, seating areas, concourses, walkways and such other similar areas.

HB 1842 raises the maximum proof of neutral grain spirits that may be sold through Virginia ABC retail stores without a permit. The previous limit was 101 proof. The new limit is 151 proof.

HB 2433 clarifies that cider will be treated as wine for all purposes of alcoholic beverage control law, including the sale of cider in Virginia ABC retail stores.

SB 1578 requires individuals operating short-term rentals (Airbnb) who wish to offer alcoholic beverages to their guests to obtain a bed and breakfast license.

SB 1216 clarifies that all mixed beverage licensees are required to have food, cooked or prepared on the licensed premises, available in all areas of the licensed premises in which spirits are sold or served until at least 30 minutes before closing.

SB 1382 streamlines the alcoholic beverage license and delivery process by allowing Virginia ABC to issue an alcoholic beverage license to the establishment when the applicant provides proof of a pending food establishment license or health permit. The licensee may not sell alcoholic beverages until the food establishment license or health permit has been issued.

HB 1694 allows nonprofit organizations with banquet licenses to sell closed containers of wine to those 21 or older as part of any fundraising activity. Organizations are only allowed to do so once per year.

SB 1150 requires Virginia ABC to provide training for all retail licensees and employees who sell or serve alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption on how to recognize situations that may lead to sexual assault and utilize intervention strategies. This training is meant to help prevent situations from culminating in sexual assault.

Workers’ Compensation

SB 1201 authorizes the Workers’ Compensation Commission to require an employer to provide funds for the purchase of a suitably equipped automobile for an incapacitated employee if it finds that it is medically necessary and that modifications to the employee’s automobile are not technically feasible or will cost more than the funds available for a replacement automobile.