Blue states in the new year are planning to push an agenda that includes forcing LGBTQ and climate issues on citizens whether they agree or not while restricting their Second Amendment rights.
California
The Golden State is again setting the standard for leftist legislation.
A new law bans the sale of any gas-powered lawnmowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, or yard care equipment.
“The people most affected are going to be the Latinos that don’t have a big business,” Fulgencio Vazquez, a landscaping manager in Sacramento, told The Sacramento Bee. Another landscaping small business owner, Rafael Guzman, told the Bee that big businesses would be the “only ones” to survive the new law, and noted that landscaping jobs with electric-powered equipment would take longer “because the machines don’t have the same potential.”
California aims to be completely reliant on green energy and 100% carbon neutral by 2045, according to Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
A new law which took effect on Jan. 1 mandates a fine for major retailers who don’t sell “gender-neutral” children’s toys in their stores. These items would have to be clearly marked and sectioned, and stores that refuse to comply will face a $250 penalty for the first violation and a $500 penalty for every subsequent offense. The law also pertains to “any product designed or intended by the manufacturer to facilitate sleep, relaxation, or the feeding of children, or to help children with sucking or teething.”
Also taking effect on Jan. 1, California bans employers from asking employees about their marijuana consumption outside of the workplace. It would also prevent employers from penalizing employees if they test positive for cannabis use, unless they are deemed actively high at work.
Michigan
Michigan has expanded its civil rights act to prevent discrimination on the basis of “gender identity.”
Additionally, the state Supreme Court ruled that state justices must use the “preferred pronouns” of attorneys in their courtrooms starting on Jan. 1.
Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the Clean Energy and Climate Action Package Act in November which seeks to make the state 100% carbon neutral by 2040. The act, which goes into effect on Feb. 27, requires all of the state’s utilities to increasingly source from green energy, like solar and wind power, or from nuclear, hydrogen, and natural gas.
Michigan has also issued multiple new restrictions on gun and firearm rights. Whitmer and lawmakers signed legislation to expand background checks for gun sales, restrict gun ownership for individuals convicted of domestic violent misdemeanors and institute “red flag” policies that would allow courts to remove guns from individuals that the courts deem as a safety risk to themselves or others.
Illinois
A new law which went into effect on Jan. 1 will allow non-citizens to become police officers and sheriffs, so long as they are deemed “legally authorized” to work in the United States. This would include individuals who are in the U.S. under green card status as well as individuals on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) list.
Landlords in Illinois are now required under state law to rent or sell property to noncitizens and illegal aliens. Illegal immigrants will also be allowed to obtain a standard driver’s license starting in mid-2024, according to a separate bill.
Illinois will also shut off state funding for public and school libraries that ban books for political reasons, including books that promote LGBTQ+ ideology, making it the first state to enact such a law, according to state Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office. Parents and lawmakers alike have expressed concern that some of the books in question contain sexually explicit content that should not be promoted to children.
Colorado
A new law that went into effect on Jan. 1 bans certain single-use plastics, following in the footsteps of other blue states that have enacted similar legislation. These include plastic bags, such as those found at a grocery store, as well as Styrofoam cups and takeout containers, which are typically less expensive than paper or biodegradable alternatives, according to packaging company Swiftpak.
Washington state
Further restrictions to existing gun laws started on Jan. 1. Potential gun buyers are now required to wait 10 days before purchasing any class of firearm.
Washington will also join California in banning employers from asking employees about cannabis use, or discriminating against them should they test positive for consumption.
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