New ERA Article February, 2000


                      New California Laws
                    Effective January, 2000


     Each year, the California Legislature enacts many laws which
become  effective  on  January 1  of  the  following  year.   The
following  are  a  few of the more interesting  laws  which  took
effect on January 1, 2000:

     Owners of low income coin laundries will be pleased to learn
that  individuals with adjusted gross incomes of $8,498  or  less
and  married couples with taxable incomes of $16,996 or  less  no
longer have to file state income tax returns. [AB 1140]

     Do  you  have  any preschool children?  Beginning  in  2001,
children  must  be immunized against chicken pox before  entering
elementary school. [SB 741]

     After  the  Los  Angeles  Unified School  District  acquired
knowledge that the Belmont Learning Complex site was contaminated
with  methane  gas,  it  occurred to the State  Legislature  that
districts  must  determine whether a school site poses  a  health
threat to children before making the purchase.  [AB 387]

     In  the area of HMO regulation, a Department of Managed Care
has  been created which will include a new Office of the  Patient
Advocate.  [AB 78]  In addition, HMO patients may now  obtain  an
independent medical review when services are denied, modified  or
significantly delayed.  [AB 55; SB 189]

     Penalties  have increased in the arena of alcohol  usage  by
minors.   Kids now face up to 32 hours of community  service  for
trying  to  make  the  purchase, a $1,000 fine  for  using  false
identification, and 32 hours of community service and a $250 fine
for possession of alcohol.  [AB 749]

     In  the old days, State Prison and Youth Authority employees
would  be  charged with a misdemeanor if they  had  sex  with  an
inmate.  A new law makes the offense a felony.  [SB 377]

     Individuals  restrained  by  domestic  violence   protective
orders  must  now  relinquish ownership  and  possession  of  all
firearms for the duration of the order.  [SB 218]

     In recent times, workers have been entitled to overtime only
if  they worked more than 40 hours in a week.  A new law provides
that  overtime  pay must be provided if a worker logs  more  than
eight hours in a day. [AB 60]

     You can now buy no more than one pistol, revolver, Derringer
or other concealable firearm in a 30-day period. [AB 202]
     
     Don't  even  think that the State Legislature has  exhausted
its  interest  in passing new California laws.   Wait  'til  next
year!


[This column is intended to provide general information only  and
is  not intended to provide specific legal advice; if you have  a
specific  question  regarding the  law,  you  should  contact  an
attorney  of your choice.  Suggestions for topics to be discussed
in this column are welcome.]


Reprinted from New Era Magazine
Myles M. Mattenson © 2000-2002

	Myles M. Mattenson ATTORNEY AT LAW 5550 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Suite 200 Woodland Hills, California 91367 Telephone (818) 313-9060 Facsimile (818) 313-9260 *Email:* MMM@MattensonLaw.com *Web:* http://www.MattensonLaw.com	"New California Laws Effective January, 2000"
Myles M. Mattenson engages in a general civil and trial practice including litigation and transactional services relating to the coin laundry and dry cleaning industries, franchising, business, purchase and sale of real estate, easements, landlord-tenant, partnership, corporate, insurance bad faith, personal injury, and probate legal matters. In providing services to the coin laundry and dry cleaning industries, Mr. Mattenson has represented equipment distributors, coin laundry and dry cleaning business owners confronted with landlord-tenant issues, lease negotiations, sale documentation including agreements, escrow instructions, and security instruments, as well as fraud or misrepresentation controversies between buyers and sellers of such businesses. Mr. Mattenson serves as an Arbitrator for the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He is also past chair of the Law Office Management Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Mr. Mattenson received his Bachelor of Science degree (Accounting) in 1964 and his Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola University School of Law in 1967. Bi-monthly articles by Mr. Mattenson on legal matters of interest to the business community appear in alternate months in The Journal, a leading coin laundry industry publication of the Coin Laundry Association, and Fabricare, a leading dry cleaning industry publication of the International Fabricare Institute. During the period of May 1995 through September 2002, Mr. Mattenson contributed similar articles to New Era Magazine, a coin laundry and dry cleaning industry publication which ceased publication with the September 2002 issue. This website contains copies of Mr. Mattenson's New Era Magazine articles which can be retrieved through a subject or chronological index. The website also contains copies of Mr. Mattenson's Journal and Fabricare articles, which can be retrieved through a chronological index. In addition to Mr. Mattenson's trial practice, he has successfully prosecuted and defended appeals on behalf of his clients in various areas of the law. Some of these appellate decisions are contained within his website.