As the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve 2023, laws in states across the country became effective as they began to be enforced. These new laws cover a range of topics, from quirky to serious, with many addressing subjects that are dominating American discourse.
Missouri is now the first state to make it a misdemeanor to sleep or camp on public land without authorization. The state is also making it easier to fund homeless outreach teams, which can help people with housing and other issues. A bill passed in North Carolina could mean governors won’t be able to declare a state of emergency for so long in the future. The law requires a quorum of several executive officials to vote for a declaration lasting more than 30 days and a two-thirds majority for one that lasts more than 60 days.
For those who practice law, the idea of “law new” is hard to define. This concept can refer to alternative legal service providers or startups, or it can be the creation of strategies that have not traditionally been a part of standard law firm practice. It’s about embracing technology, focusing on process and finding different ways to deliver value to clients.
This page summarizes new laws enacted or vetoed in each of the last three years and any legislation that passed during a special session. You can select any year and filter the list to see only laws that meet your criteria. Enacted bills appear on this page after NARA assigns them public law (PL) numbers and they are published by GPO as slip laws. Clicking on a PL number will link to the text of the slip law. Laws and joint resolutions enacted before 2005 can be found in the Statutes at Large.