! Most of the legislation approved by state lawmakers

Most of the legislation approved by state lawmakers during the 2009 General

i Assembly session took effect July 1 Here is a sampling of what went into

| effect last Wednesday ^ No texting while driving | 'C u soon and other text messages are now Banned from behind the wheel If caught tex ling or e marling messages while driving, violators face a $20 fine for the first offense, and j 550 ‘o' nacn subsequent offense • Missing school? You may soon be missing your license. students younger than 18. with 10 or more unexcused, consecutive absences from school ran expect tr lose their driver's license, thanks to a new rule cracking down on cutting classes mveniie court fudges can revoke licenses foi any amount of time until the student turns 13 students wno continue to drive with a revoked license could face Class 1 misdemeanor forges ot no to a year in fail and $2,500 in fines Wear your support ! voters once prohibited bom wearing political candidate and party paraphernalia to the polls, are allowed to do so The fust election where this change can be exhibited is the Nov. 3 gen erai elei bon Hanging a noose hanging a noose with the intent of intimidating any person or group ot persons is now i deemed a Class 6 *etany with increased penalties offenders can Oe put in tail for about five

| vears in tail and $2,500 m fines Graffiti abatement ! Localities can now charge pioperty owners for tne cost of removing graffiti drawn on pub, lie or private Buildings, walls, fences and more if cleanup is not paid for, localities can clean i the graffiti and put a l.ien on the property Puff, begone... almost Not on this list of legislation effective July ^ is the partial Pan on smoking in Virginia restaurants and Oars This new restriction, approved by Gov Tim Kaine and the General Assembly during the 2009 session, will be enforced starting Dec 1. -xbcv vxxrvi upTenX awmtxxv iinririaiiun avnotxsJ oy itjpixxGn'nx* news srak wniwuoHjr Hsbbt mmHamwa Nwn Son Snpmcrwusr Annum