Texting, Research Laws to Hit Calif. in New Year

A texting-while-driving ban isn’t the only new law Californians will wake up to on Jan. 1. The San Francisco Chronicle lists some other new regulations:

• Drivers can now mount a GPS system in the lower corners of their windshields.
• It will become a crime to publish the names or addresses of individuals involved in animal research.

• Student journalists will have stronger protections from school officials who seek to demote or fire them because of what they’ve published. 
• People looking to redeem large amounts of recyclables will have to show ID and be paid with a check.
• Bottled water firms must list the source of the water on the bottle and provide a website where consumers can read a report on its quality.

(More driver distraction stories.)