Community Corner
9 New Laws Passed in 2012
Many of these laws already took effect, but see which laws will start on Jan. 1, 2013.
New State Laws
- The minimum wage will increase from $7.25 to $7.35 an hour on Jan. 1, 2013. Employers who make less than a gross income of $500,000 do not have to pay the state minimum wage.
- Move Over Law: As of Aug. 28, it was mandatory to shift lanes to give stopped police cars, emergency vehicles and transportation department vehicles extra room on the highway.
- HB1188 allows a school nurse to administer asthma rescue medications under certain circumstances.
New St. Charles County Laws
- Voters approved a proposition in November that requires a county council member to forfeit his seat if he's absent (physically) from 12 consecutive council meetings unless the absense is excused.
New City Laws
- Complying with Police: It's unlawful interfere with a law enforcement officer in the city of St. Charles. The city council approved an ordinance making it a misdemeanor violation for hindering, obstructing, failing or refusing to comply with a law enforcement officer.
- Liquor on Sundays: Bars can now apply for a liquor license to be able to serve liquor on Sundays. In the past, city ordinances didn't allow bars to serve alcohol unless they also served food.
- Banquet Centers in Historic St. Charles: People who want to open a banquet center in the Historic Commercial District in down town St. Charles can now apply for a conditional use permit to do so.
- Live Music on South Main: Restaurants on South Main Street that serve alcohol can now apply for a conditional use permit that would allow them to have live music, whcih has been banned in those establishment for about 40 years.
- Dogs in Frontier Park during Festivals: Not a new law, but the City Council decided that the law that outlaws having dogs in Frontier Park during festivals should stand and parks department employees should work harder to enforce it.
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