Connect with us

Virginia

New laws going into effect across DC, Maryland and Virginia on Jan. 1, 2025 – WTOP News

Published

on

New laws going into effect across DC, Maryland and Virginia on Jan. 1, 2025 – WTOP News


D.C., Maryland and Virginia can expect new laws to take effect starting Jan. 1, 2025. Here’s a few you should know about.

The new year is right around the corner, and so are some new laws for our region. Here’s what you can expect to take effect in D.C., Maryland and Virginia starting on Jan. 1, 2025.

DC laws

Banning right turns at red lights

D.C. drivers will no longer be allowed to turn right at a red light, unless the District Department of Transportation has installed a sign permitting it under certain circumstances.

This comes as a provision of the Safer Streets Amendment Act of 2022. DDOT will have to post on its website which intersections will allow right turns at red lights. Additionally, the rationale behind choosing said intersection and the date the sign will be posted.

Advertisement
Cash payments

D.C. retailers must accept cash payments. The law prohibits businesses from refusing cash payments, from putting signs up denying cash payments and from charging a customer more for using cash. Exceptions include if the customer is shopping online, if the business sells liquor, or if it’s open late at night.

Health care coverage for home visiting programs

Home visiting services will be required to be covered or reimbursed through health care coverage like Medicaid, the DC HealthCare Alliance and the Immigrant Children’s Program, as long as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approves it. The services must be through an eligible home visiting program.

Home visiting programs are services provided to young children and parents by the DC Department of Health, such as providing in-home parenting education and home visitation for pregnant or postpartum people.

Health care data transparency 

A utilization review entity, which provides authorization reviews for health insurance, has to make information regarding approvals, adverse determinations and appeals readily and publicly available on its website.

Advertisement

For access to all of D.C.’s new laws in effect on Jan. 1, 2025, click here.

Maryland laws

Maryland work zone fines

Speed cameras will be placed and fines will increase in work zones through an expansion of the Maryland Road Worker Protection Act. Fines for speeding in work zones range from $60 to $500, depending on how fast the driver is going. Those fines will double if there are workers present.

The bill is due to recommendations from the Governor’s Work Zone Safety Work Group, a group created after a speeding incident in March 2023. On I-695 near Woodlawn, six construction workers were struck and killed in a work zone by a driver going over 100 mph.

Housing expansion and affordability 

This requires jurisdictions to permit the placement of “a new manufactured home or modular dwelling” in areas that are meant for single-family homes, given said area meets multiple requirements. It also requires jurisdictions to increase uses in certain zoning areas for “qualified projects.”

Advertisement

The goal of this law, signed by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore earlier this year, is to make housing more affordable by making construction more accessible.

Opioid overdose and opioid-related hospital treatment

Every Maryland hospital must have the capability of treating a person who shows opioid-related symptoms or overdose in the emergency room, have the proper treatments for opioid-use disorder and must have appropriate intervention policies before releasing a person who was admitted for opioid-related illness.

Hearing aids for adults

Health insurers, nonprofit health service plans and health maintenance organizations must provide coverage for adult hearing aids. There may be a limit of $1,400 per hearing aid for every 36 months. The hearing impaired adult may choose a more expensive hearing aid and pay the difference.

For access to all of Maryland’s new laws in effect on Jan. 1, 2025, click here. 

Virginia laws

Minimum wage increase

Virginia’s minimum wage will increase from $12.00 per hour to $12.41 per hour. The law requires all employers under the Virginia Minimum Wage Act to adjust their pay accordingly.

Advertisement
Ethnic origin discrimination

Ethnic origin is now a protected class as an addition of the Virginia Human Rights Act. This expansion prohibits any discrimination or harassment in the workplace or in public in the Commonwealth.

Data controllers transparency

Data controllers are required to restrict the collection of data to only what is necessary as it pertains to the context of the data collected. It requires that controllers do not use personal data outside of the scope of what is “reasonably necessary,” as it is disclosed to the consumer, unless direct consent is given otherwise.

It also requires that controllers do not process certain data of a known child for targeted ads, selling personal data or gathering information about a precise geolocation, unless it is considered “reasonably necessary” or parental consent is given.

Coverage for colorectal cancer screening

Health insurers are required to provide coverage for colorectal cancer examinations and testing. This law requires that following a noninvasive screening test, a follow up colonoscopy must be covered — meaning it’s exempt from deductibles and other costs of service.

Procedure for preelection withdrawal resulting in an unopposed race

If a person running for an elected position chooses to drop out 44 days or less before the primary election, which results in one person in the race running unopposed, the unopposed candidate will immediately become the nominee for the political party, and the primary election will be canceled.

Advertisement

For access to all of Virginia’s new laws in effect on Jan. 1, 2025, click here.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Virginia

Obituary for Virginia Ruth Akers at Mullins Funeral Home

Published

on

Obituary for Virginia Ruth Akers at Mullins Funeral Home


Virginia Ruth Akers, 73, of Christiansburg, passed away Wednesday, April 2, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents, Grover Cleveland Ford II and Virginia Cox Ford husband, Hiram Akers son, Michael Akers and brothers, Grover Ford and Roger Ford. Ruth was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and



Source link

Continue Reading

Virginia

Virginia Tech Basketball: Connor Serven is entering the transfer portal

Published

on

Virginia Tech Basketball: Connor Serven is entering the transfer portal


With one year of eligibility left, Connor Serven enters the transfer portal in search of a new home. The 6-8, 225-pound forward appeared in 16 games for the Hokies this season. In his 41 minutes played, Serven averaged 0.3 points and 0.6 rebounds.

Serven began his college ball career at Illinois as a walk-on. At Illinois, the Prairie City native averaged 14 minutes of play. In search of more playing time, Serven entered the transfer portal for the first time, and found a home at Eastern Michigan.

As an Eastern Michigan Eagle, Serven’s playing time jumped significantly from 19 minutes in his junior year at Illinois, to 555 minutes. Serven flourished in his new role, averaging 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. As an Eagle, Serven shot 43 percent from the field, sank 25 percent of his three’s, and made 48.3 percent of his free throws. While Serven had found a lot of success at Eastern Michigan, he was still hopeful for the opportunity to play at a high-major program. This desire landed him in the transfer portal once again where he found a home as Hokie.

For his final year of college ball, Serven will enter the transfer portal once again to find a new home and make the most of his last season.

Virginia Tech has seen five other players enter the transfer portal this month. Guards Brandon Rechsteiner, Jaydon Young, Rodney Brown Jr, center Ryan Jones, and center Patrick Wessler all announced that they would be moving on from the program.

Rechsteiner played at Virginia Tech for two seasons, including 32 games this year which included 15 starts. He averaged 7.0 PPG on 37% shooting from the field and 30% from three. He led the Hokies in assists this season with 2.8 and is a former four-star recruit who chose the Hokies over LSU, Xavier, and Tennessee.

Advertisement

Jaydon Young had some big moments this season, scoring 26 points in a win over Syracuse and 27 points in a win over Miami. They were the only games in which he scored more than 14 points. He has announced he will transfer to High Point.

Rodney Brown Jr decided to enter the portal after spending one year with the program after transferring in from Cal. Brown played in 18 games this season, averaging 15.2 minutes per game and 4.1 PPG. During his lone season with the Golden Bears in 2023-2024, Brown played in 32 games, averaging 3.5 PPG in 14 minutes per game.

This is going to be a big offseason for head coach Mike Young and his program. After the ACC Tournament loss to Cal, Young talked about how the big thing that was missing from this year’s team was talent and how it had to get fixed quickly:

“A lot was missing. A lot was missing, just call it what it is. They are great kids and a pleasure to work with. We have to get more talented and we are going to quick, all right?”

Related Links

Advertisement

Virginia Tech Baseball: Highlanders stump the Hokies In Midweek Matchup

Virginia Tech Softball: Preview for In-State Matchup with Liberty

Virginia Tech Announces Return of Assistant Basketball Coach





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Virginia

Revealed: Why Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre was charged by cops – just days before claiming she was on her ‘deathbed’ after bus crash

Published

on

Revealed: Why Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre was charged by cops – just days before claiming she was on her ‘deathbed’ after bus crash


Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre was charged with breaching a family violence restraining order just days before the bus crash which she initially claimed had fatally injured her.

Giuffre, née Roberts, 41, posted a photograph on Instagram on Sunday night, allegedly from her hospital bed, claiming she had just four days left to live.

She said her car had been hit by a school bus travelling at 110km/h which had left her with kidney failure, and doctors had told her she would be dead within days.

A spokesman for Giuffre admitted on Wednesday that she had ‘made a mistake’ and was not dying, and had not intended to publish the post publicly.

Advertisement

Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal Giuffre was listed at a Perth Magistrates Court ten days before the crash over the alleged breach of the family violence restraining order.

Her estranged husband Robert Giuffre was also listed at the same court the month before for allegedly ‘providing inadequate storage facility for firearms’.

It is understood the couple recently separated after 22 years of marriage, and no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in Perth’s beachside suburb of Ocean Reef.

They bought the six-bedroom home five years ago, putting down a deposit on it six months before Ms Giuffre launched her lawsuit against the prince for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was a teenager.

The purchase was finalised before the matter was settled out of court with a reported $20million payout from Prince Andrew.

Advertisement

Virginia Giuffre was charged with breaching a family violence restraining order days before the bus crash which she initially claimed had fatally injured her

Giuffre, 41, posted on Instagram about the crash on March 24, which occurred ten days after she was listed at the court near her $2m family home

Giuffre, 41, posted on Instagram about the crash on March 24, which occurred ten days after she was listed at the court near her $2m family home 

Virgina Giuffre is reportedly estranged from husband of 22 years Robert (above the couple in 2019) and in March she was charged with alleged breaching a Family Violence Restraining Order

Virgina Giuffre is reportedly estranged from husband of 22 years Robert (above the couple in 2019) and in March she was charged with alleged breaching a Family Violence Restraining Order 

They now appear to be locked in a messy tug of love over their teenage son and daughter. 

Advertisement

Two days before the car crash, Giuffre posted a sun-dappled picture of her children on a beach on March 22, accompanied by an apparent desperate plea to see them.

‘My beautiful babies have no clue how much I love them and they’re being poisoned with lies,’ she posted. 

‘I miss them so very much. I have been through hell and back in my 41 years but this is incredibly hurting me worse than anything else. 

‘Hurt me, abuse me but don’t take my babies. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.’

In the post from hospital a week later, she added: ‘I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology. 

Advertisement

‘I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.’

Giuffre met her future husband when she was just 19 while training as a masseuse in Thailand.

Virginia Giuffre (above in Cairns six years ago) and her estranged husband Robert moved to their beachside mansion in Perth after her reported $20million payout from Prince Andrew

Virginia Giuffre (above in Cairns six years ago) and her estranged husband Robert moved to their beachside mansion in Perth after her reported $20million payout from Prince Andrew

The famous photograph of the-then Virginia Roberts and Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell that led to the royal's downfall and the reported $20million payout

The famous photograph of the-then Virginia Roberts and Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell that led to the royal’s downfall and the reported $20million payout

The course had been paid for by the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who had sex trafficked Giuffre with his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Western Australia Police revealed Giuffre was a passenger in a car involved in a ‘minor collision’ with a bus in Neergabby, 80km north of Perth, on March 24, and no-one had been injured.

According to 9News Perth, Giuffre’s 71-year-old ‘carer’ was driving the car at the time.

Police said the collision was ‘reported by the bus driver the following day. The car sustained approximately $2000 worth of damage’. 

‘We have no report of any serious injuries,’ Acting Western Australian Police Commissioner Kylie Whiteley said.

Giuffre is understood to have been treated at a local health centre afterwards for a pre-existing condition and released. 

Advertisement

She later checked into another hospital in the early hours of Tuesday, after the disturbing Instagram post – which appeared to show her badly bruised – went public.

She rescinded the ‘deathbed’ farewell claims via a spokesperson on Wednesday  and said she mistakenly posted them to her public Instagram page.

Virginia Giuffre with a photo of her younger self when she was sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein
The late Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, decades before they would each be jailed in the US on sex trafficking charges

Virginia Giuffre with a photo of her younger self (left) and the late Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, decades before they would each be jailed in the US on sex trafficking charges

Her father Sky Roberts told DailyMail.com that he is ‘sick to my stomach’ and would do anything to be able to fly from his home in Florida to be by his daughter’s hospital bedside in Australia.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Ms Giuffre made the incident up or exaggerated it.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending