19 new laws take effect, led by cyberbullying, homemade hash oil
JULY 1, 2015
DENVER — Nineteen laws take effect in Colorado on Wednesday, including hefty fines and jail time for anyone guilty of cyberbullying and making homemade hash oil.
Colorado joins three dozen other states that have made cyberbullying a crime. The high-tech means of taunting has sometimes led to tragic results.
The move comes after the case of Kiana Arellano, a Douglas County cheerleader who tried to hang herself in 2013 after being bullied online. The girl had a friend who was bullied and also thought about suicide.
The new law carries a fine of up to $750 and six months in jail. But lawmakers said it’s more about making parents and students aware of the dangers of cyberbullying.
Also taking effect Wednesday is homemade hash oil. Marijuana is legal in Colorado, but using marijuana to make hash oil can be extremely risky. More than 30 explosions have been linked to the practice in the past year.
The problem has been people using flammable liquid such as butane to make the oil. One spark can cause it to explode.
The new law makes it a crime to use butane or compressed gas when a person tries to make homemade hash oil. Lawmakers believe the new law will allow police to make arrests before the explosions happen and someone is burned or perhaps killed.
Hash oil can still be legally produced by commercial marijuana operations, but the homemade hash oil practice is now a Class 2 felony.
Other laws taking effect Wednesday include:
*Changing how suspects are identified in lineups, including telling witnesses the suspect might not be shown.
*Defendants in cases of first-, second- and third-degree assault must undergo testing for communicable diseases if their body fluids come into contact with the victim, law enforcement or medical personnel.
*Immunity from possessing drug paraphernalia when someone volunteers to law enforcement they have a hypodermic needle or syringe with traces of a controlled substance.
source
JULY 1, 2015
DENVER — Nineteen laws take effect in Colorado on Wednesday, including hefty fines and jail time for anyone guilty of cyberbullying and making homemade hash oil.
Colorado joins three dozen other states that have made cyberbullying a crime. The high-tech means of taunting has sometimes led to tragic results.
The move comes after the case of Kiana Arellano, a Douglas County cheerleader who tried to hang herself in 2013 after being bullied online. The girl had a friend who was bullied and also thought about suicide.
The new law carries a fine of up to $750 and six months in jail. But lawmakers said it’s more about making parents and students aware of the dangers of cyberbullying.
Also taking effect Wednesday is homemade hash oil. Marijuana is legal in Colorado, but using marijuana to make hash oil can be extremely risky. More than 30 explosions have been linked to the practice in the past year.
The problem has been people using flammable liquid such as butane to make the oil. One spark can cause it to explode.
The new law makes it a crime to use butane or compressed gas when a person tries to make homemade hash oil. Lawmakers believe the new law will allow police to make arrests before the explosions happen and someone is burned or perhaps killed.
Hash oil can still be legally produced by commercial marijuana operations, but the homemade hash oil practice is now a Class 2 felony.
Other laws taking effect Wednesday include:
*Changing how suspects are identified in lineups, including telling witnesses the suspect might not be shown.
*Defendants in cases of first-, second- and third-degree assault must undergo testing for communicable diseases if their body fluids come into contact with the victim, law enforcement or medical personnel.
*Immunity from possessing drug paraphernalia when someone volunteers to law enforcement they have a hypodermic needle or syringe with traces of a controlled substance.
source
