Sunday marks the 90-day point from the April 26 adjournment of the Legislature, and so is the day our state constitution sets aside for the vast majority of the nearly 600 new laws passed in 2009 to go into effect.
Rachel La Corte, the AP's statehouse reporter, catalogs some of them here, leading with the new law making public breastfeeding a civil right under our state's Law Against Discrimination.
As described in an earlier OBW post, this particular new law doesn't affect employment as such, although there is pending legislation in Congress that could extend the protection to employees.
Another new law that could affect the workplace is the so-called "everything but marriage" law regarding the rights and responsibilities of state-registered domestic partners. It is subject to a referendum which has until Saturday to turn in 121,000 valid signature petitions to put the measure to a vote. If Referendum 71 lacks sufficient signatures, the measure goes into effect. Its workplace impacts would be felt most directly in the area of family leave, employee benefits, and workers' compensation.
Finally, while not affecting the workplace per se, another new law effectively abolishes the employee-only restroom in retail establishments. My colleague Jason Hagey took a look at it here, back when it was signed into law. I was reminded of this new law whilst dining last week at a favorite downtown Olympia spot, which on that day had two prominent handwritten signs on the door saying "No public restrooms." Not anymore.
