Legal Marijuana, Sports Betting, And Workers' Rights Are Just A Few Of The New Laws Coming To Tri-State Area In 2022
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Hundreds of new laws are going into effect in the Tri-State Area on New Year's Day. The laws will impact everything from recreational marijuana to coffee cups.
CBS2's Natalie Duddridge has a look at what will be new in 2022.
New Yorkers won't be able to walk into a shop and legally purchase marijuana on Jan. 1, but it's coming.
"The most interesting thing right now is by the end of this year, when it comes to cannabis, marijuana, pot, whatever you call it, local municipalities, towns, villages, cities, get to decide if it's going to be retail sold in their borders,' attorney Andrew Lieb said.
Sports betting is also becoming legal in New York. You may be able to place your first bet before the Super Bowl in mid-February.
There are also some major wins for workers. Employers can no longer monitor an employee's phone, email or internet usage without first notifying them, and there's new legislation protecting employees who report illegal or dangerous business activities.
"We're going to see a major uptick in employee rights because they got enhanced whistleblower protection, so you're going to see employees ratting on their employer left and right moving forward," Lieb said.
For dog owners, specifically owners of pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepherds, home insurance companies can no longer discriminate against certain pets by increasing rates.
Also in New York, Styrofoam is out. No more Styrofoam containers or coffee cups.
Over in New Jersey, minimum wage is increasing $1 to $13 an hour for most employees, on the road to $15 an hour by 2024.
The state also signed a pair of mental health bills to help students by creating a grant program that partners with schools.
READ MORE: Connecticut Becomes 19th State To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
For adults, several financial literacy centers have been created across the state to teach people how to budget.
"You might say, well, this is going to cost the taxpayer a lot of money. I think the Legislature and Gov. Murphy's opinions are put money into teaching fiscal responsibility now and then you won't get long-term debt in the future," attorney Greg Gianforcano said.
In Connecticut in 2022, a new use of force training program is required for all police officers, to reduce fatal shootings and violent acts.
"It forces police officers to have to really slow down. Did they give a warning? What kind of serious imminent harm was there? Was there a gun? Was there a weapon?" attorney Piper Paul said.
Connecticut is also making it easier to care for aging parents or dependents with disabilities by allowing small structures known as granny pods or cottages on to be built on a homeowner's property.
There are hundreds of new laws coming. That's a look at a few in 2022.