As the new year kicked off, the Virginia legislature and Gov. Ralph Youngkin enacted more than 1,200 laws. While many will have little impact on the day-to-day lives of people in the state, there are a handful that are significant and could alter the direction the law and policy landscape is headed.

Law New

Increasingly, business requires collaboration, especially on complex and significant challenges that are too large to be mastered by one function, enterprise, or stakeholder group. Similarly, the legal industry is undergoing a paradigm shift from provider to customer-centricity. It is a change process that has to start with a focus on delivering legal services to legal consumers and society-at-large, not preserving legacy delivery models, outdated legal education, and self-congratulatory industry awards.

To that end, fit-for-purpose technology is not an end in itself for legal practitioners and “techies.” It must be a component of a strategic plan with the end goal of improving the customer/end-user experience and outcomes. Moreover, such an approach demands collaboration with the rest of the legal industry and business, as well as the outside world.

New law

This new law makes “swatting” — a fake emergency call that leads to a police, fire department or other emergency personnel response — a class 1 misdemeanor. It also prohibits people from using drones in or near any state, local, or juvenile correctional facility unless they are authorized by the facility’s superintendent or director.

A new law will make it easier for barbers, electricians, tattooists and other workers licensed in another state to come to Virginia to work. Currently, the state’s licensing rules require them to have at least three years of experience in their profession and pass a test to work in the state. Under this law, they will be allowed to use their out-of-state licenses if the licensing authority determines it is valid, up to date and meets other requirements, including proof of training and continuing education.

In a move to curb gender bias, this new law prohibits businesses from charging higher prices for certain goods or services based on the person’s gender. This law will apply to all businesses that sell, offer or display products, services, or advertising for sale at a location open to the public.

Under this new law, hospitals must share their standard charges for items and services – including how much procedures cost – on their websites. The law is intended to protect patients from surprise medical bills, a growing problem in the US. The law will take effect July 1.