SOME INTERESTING NEW LAWS

Newsweek -  California's Cannabis Cafés: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed state Assembly Bill 1775 in September, clearing the path for Amsterdam-style "cannabis cafés" to open in the Golden State in 2025. The law will allow state-licensed marijuana dispensaries and venues to host live music and other performance events and to sell food and nonalcoholic beverages.

Illinois Law  ... signed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in August, rescinds a previous regulation requiring "a meat processor to be a member of the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program in order for the meat processor to donate deer meat that the meat processor has processed." The law also "requires meat processors who donate deer meat to a charitable organization or community food bank that receives wild game meat to keep written records of all deer received" and allows processors to donate unclaimed deer meat from customers.

Washington, D.C., Law Requiring Retailers to Accept Cash Payments:  D.C. amended its laws to include a "cashless retail prohibition" in the new year. The new law specifies that "a retailer shall not discriminate against cash as a form of payment for goods or services," whether by "refusing to accept cash as a form of payment," "posting signs on the premises that cash payment is not accepted" or "charging a higher price to consumers who pay cash." Exceptions to the law include online, phone and mail sales, parking lots that already do not accept cash payments and retailers who use prepaid "cash-to-card" devices under strict conditions. The law can also be suspended if the Washington mayor declares a public health emergency.

New York Law Regarding Car Wash Promotions: New York state Assembly Bill A6957A, which was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in December, specifically "requires car washes to disclose when promotions expire."  "Car washes shall clearly state when promotion will expire as well as any costs which will be incurred upon the expiration of such promotion and how often such costs will be incurred upon someone taking part in such promotion," the text of the bill states.  "Car washes shall conspicuously post notice of such information on a board or other visible place in view of consumers when advertising a promotion," it continues.