RALEIGH (AP) ó A smoking ban inside state government cars and tougher rules for storing hog waste are among the new laws taking effect with the new year.
Laws approved by the Legislature and enforced beginning Thursday also require hundreds of thousands of motorists to get a certain type of insurance coverage. Drivers will also have more time to fix problems if they fail annual vehicle inspection requirements.
State employees and passengers no longer will be able to smoke inside state-owned or leased vehicles. Itís the latest smoking restrictions passed by lawmakers in the past few years.
New swine operations or farms that increase their number of hogs must meet more stringent rules as the state phases out open-air hog lagoons