On October 10, 2011, Governor Jerry Brown has signed several new laws into effect starting from 2012. Of the wide variety of new regulations implemented, there are three in particular that may affect students: a shark fin ban, LGBT Equality and Equal Access in Higher Education, and an amendment to the Vehicle Code regarding the parking of electric vehicle. Here is more information regarding those three laws:

Shark Fin Ban
Starting from 2013, those with a predilection for shark fin will no longer be able to purchase or eat this food in California after Governor Jerry Brown signed the ban on the possession, sale, and distribution of imported shark fin at the beginning of this year. Although fins already in the state can still be sold until July 1, 2013, the importation of fins is illegal starting this year.

Shark finners remove the fins of shark before throwing the shark back into the ocean. Impaled by its missing fin, the sharks face difficulty in surviving without the ability to swim well.

“[The ban] is good. It’s disgusting that [shark finning] has been going on for so long. This ban should have happened 50 years ago,” Julia Fink (10) said.

Because shark fin is often featured in traditional Chinese soups, Tiffany Chu (10) believes that the law is “unfair” because it “targets Chinese people.”

Most students who do not eat shark fin regularly support the prohibition because it diminishes the slaughter of sharks. However, some, like Joseph Wang (11), fear that the ban is not enough to “significantly benefit” the sharks since eating shark fin soup serves as a “status symbol” in some countries.

LGBT Equality and Equal Access in Higher Education Law

Effective this year, state universities and community colleges are required to not only form and enforce campus policies that protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people (LGBTs) from harassment but also appoint specific employees to oversee on-campus LGBT issues.
Abel Olivas, Spanish Department Chair and Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Advisor, describes the law as “fantastic.”

“A lot of bullying happens on every level, so the more legal protections as people can have, the better. It sends a strong message about what we, as a society, do not want to tolerate and want to discourage,” Olivas said. “It also sends a message to the LGBT community about their dignities as members of the society.”
While they agree the recently enacted law is “great,” Kaitlin Halloran (12), President of the GSA, and Alice Tsui (11) point out some issues.

Kaitlin would like it to be extended to cover not just public schools but also private ones, while Alice believes it is “sad” that there has to be a law to prevent bullying in the first place.

Electric Vehicles

Starting January 1, 2012, a law requiring that electric vehicles (EV) be plugged in when parked in an EV parking space has been enforced in California. Furthermore, nonelectric vehicles are not allowed to occupy those spaces.

Forensics Teacher, Gregory Achten who owns an electric car said “[he] does not think the law is a problem because charging the car only helps.” Achten charges his car not only at his house but also at school.

This law passed by Governor Jerry Brown mandates that cars, fully electric or not, parked in a designated electric vehicle space be towed if they are not being charged.