In the legal field, there is no shortage of new ideas and techniques. Many are designed to benefit clients and others are intended to streamline processes or reduce costs. The goal is to increase profits and client satisfaction. One area of practice that has become increasingly popular is known as law new. It’s a term that can be hard to define but the basic idea is that it’s about bringing fresh new ideas to clients.
A law is an official rule or regulation that governs behavior within a country or society. A law can be created by Congress or another legislative body, such as a state legislature. It can also be a court decision or an executive order. Laws are usually written in the form of bills and have specific labels, such as H.R. (House of Representatives) or S. (Senate), and are numbered in the order they are introduced during each Congress. A bill that passes both houses of Congress becomes a public law, or act, when it is approved by the President and signed into law.
Some of the major laws that went into effect to start 2024 include a law that expands the ability for crime victims and survivors to apply for victim compensation funds by allowing them to submit alternative forms of proof. There are also several laws aimed at increasing the safety of college students by expanding police training and requiring schools to offer sensitivity training. In addition, there are laws to help fight the opioid and overdose epidemic by reducing the chances of accidental drug overdoses by allowing local pharmacies and health care providers to give out fentanyl and other drug adulterant testing supplies.
This page contains information and resources about federal legislation, regulations and Children’s Bureau policies that were passed or announced since the last issue of Law News was published in December 2019. As laws are passed, new regulations are issued, and the Children’s Bureau makes changes to its policy, this page is updated regularly.