Summary of new laws passed

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The 121st Maine Legislature passed more than 500 new laws during the first of its two-year session. A summary follows:

HEALTH CARE

. Drug manufacturers must disclose advertising costs.

. Prescription receipts must disclose actual retail price.

. Ethical standards and disclosure requirements set for insurers’ drug benefit managers.

SMOKING

. Smoking in bars and pool halls banned (pending governor’s signature).

. New rules will restrict smoking in foster homes and cars in which foster children ride.

. Crackdown on Internet-based tobacco sales in Maine.

. Ban smoking where beano or bingo games are played; Indian high-stakes games excluded.

MOTOR VEHICLES

. Intermediate licenses required before young motorists can drive without restrictions.

. Young snowmobile operators and riders must wear helmets on some trails.

ENVIRONMENT

. New rules to reduce liquidation harvesting of forests.

. Towns get added authority to control unlicensed junkyards.

. Disposal of computer monitors and TVs, which contain mercury, in landfills banned as of 2006.

. Sale of medical devices, switches and other products containing mercury banned as of mid-2006.

. Dentists to install separators that reduce mercury discharges into water.

. Sale of arsenic-treated wood prohibited in April 2004.

. Greenhouse gas emissions inventory to be developed.

. Bottlers must clearly disclose on their labels the source of water they sell.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

. Commercial e-mail must be identified and include return address so sender can receive cancellation.

. Telemarketers barred from using devices that block caller IDs.

ELECTIONS

. All electioneering for privately funded candidates triggers matching public funds for Clean Election-qualified candidates.

. Diversion of workers’ compensation trust funds to political action committees banned.

COURTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

. Judges can bar defendants in protection-from-abuse cases from possessing guns if there’s a heightened risk of abuse. Defendants can turn weapons over to a third party.

. Youths who commit violent crimes subject to DNA testing.

. Designation of new crime of intentional sexual contact with minor.

. Police must certify they have written policies on how to deal with Freedom of Access requests.

ANIMALS

. Dog license fees increase to upgrade the state’s animal welfare programs.

. Sale and importation of ferrets less than eight weeks of age prohibited.

. New conditions and requirements for Maine’s coyote snaring program.

. State must adopt rules on treatment and care of circus elephants.