Hundreds of new laws take effect in Washington this week. Among other things, same-sex couples will gain dozens of new rights and responsibilites, cougar hunts with dogs will be expanded, and authorities will work to track gang activity statewide. The 280 new laws take effect at midnight Thursday. Domestic partners registered with the state will get more than 170 of the rights and responsibilities of marriage. Currently, the state's domestic partnership law provides hospital visitation rights, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations, and inheritance rights when there is no will. The new measure makes dozens of additional changes. For example, it requires domestic partners of public officials to submit financial disclosure forms, just as the spouses of heterosexual officials do. It also allows domestic partners to refuse to testify against each other in court, as as married couples can. Also taking effect is the extension of a controversial pilot program that allows cougar hunts with dogs. The program will last another three years, on top of the four years it has been in place. The bill also allows all counties to join the program, instead of just the five counties currently enrolled. Another new law is meant to help protect endangered killer whales. It will now be illegal to get within 300 feet of a killer whale that is part of the so-called "southern" population of orcas that frequent Washington's inland waters. An effort to help local law-enforcement agencies combat street crime also takes effect. The new law creates a gang database to help track gang activity statewide. It makes it a crime for adults to involve juveniles in felony offenses, and adds extra jail time for gang-related crime. It also makes gang tagging and graffiti a crime and allows property owners to recover civil penalties and costs. Other laws taking effect at midnight Thursday:
Allowing as many as 30 grocery stores across the state to offer a limited number of beer- and wine-tasting events in the stores.
Allowing honorably discharged Vietnam veterans who left high school before graduation to receive high school diplomas.
A measure to expand the state's DNA database requires collection of DNA samples from people convicted of crimes such as stalking, sexual misconduct, and patronizing a prostitute.
Expanding the state's three-strikes law to include any out-of-state conviction for a felony offense that included a finding of sexual motivation, if the minimum sentence imposed was 10 years or more.
A measure to set up a pilot program that will have food banks contract with local farmers for food items to be distributed to low-income people.