747 New Laws for Twenty Twelve

I've been hearing about the 747 new laws now in effect in the year 2012 for the state of California. CA state residents (and visitors) take note; the rest of you's, laugh away.

While not all laws are laugh-worthy, the sheer number of new laws and the difficulty in finding them all spelled out in one website location has made this a frustrating transition.

Some of the laws I've heard through word of mouth include:

- putting on lipstick while operating a vehicle can get you a ticket (I wonder if applying mascara is okay?)

- eating a hamburger while driving can also get you in trouble with the law (I can't seem to find documentation of this either but I wonder if it is inclusive of cheeseburgers, bunless burgers, or simply applies to just Carl's Jr. burgers since they are hands down the messiest burgers of all)

Actual verified new automobile/traffic laws include:
- Children under the age of 8 OR under the height of 4'9" (whew! I barely made it!) are required to be in a car seat or booster seat. Should you decide to "chance it," first offense can get you a ticket of at least $446 and a second offense can get you a ticket of over $1,000. My quick math calculations show it may be "slightly" cheaper to just shell out for a booster seat.

- Beginning in July 1, 2012, vehicle registration fees will rise from $31 to $43 a year.

- One cannot cross double solid white parallel lines while driving. (Hmm....I thought this was already the case...? or did the old law apply only to double solid YELLOW parallel lines?) I hope this law stops those carpool lane jumpers from careening into fast-moving traffic the moment they see red tail-light action!

For more new traffic laws, you can check out CHP's press release. Still couldn't find the hamburger and lipstick law though . . . .

By the way, in case you were going to drink (soup) and drive, it is now illegal to sell and consume shark fin products. No more shark fin soup for you Chinese food aficionados!

Perhaps you're more resourceful than I or know of a better place to find these new 2012 laws. Feel free to comment and post a link and help us all be law abiding citizens! Thanks!