New york State laws

Today is the start of the New Year and with that comes plenty of new changes to laws across New York State.

A new law that recently went into effect will help residents avoid obnoxious calls from telemarketers.

Boating and watercraft safety is a top priority for the Oneida County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies. Starting next year there will be a new law in effect that impacts those who like to operate vessels on open waters.

Here are a few bills signed into law I found interesting that you may not known were introduced and passed this year, including one requiring restroom access to public utility workers.

You're frustrated on the road and want to use your horn? Can you blast a person with your horn in New York State legally? You might not like this answer.

What is Melanie's law and who is it named after?

There is an annoying drone flying in your backyard, can you take matters into your own hands and shoot it down? Or do you have to leave it be?

Does two people living together for 20-years count as a marriage in New York State? You'd be surprised to what NYS says is a marriage, what a partnership is and how they feel about Common Law?

Can someone legally squat on your property? When does it become an issue of being legal or not legal? What can you do?

Most fireworks are illegal in the state of New York, but there are some exceptions.

Have you ever been driving and a car with a flashing blue light comes up behind you?  Not a police car, but a single flashing blue light?  I have.  Now, I myself know that that indicates a volunteer fire fighter so I always pull over to let them go by me...

I am a crazy dog mom. I know it and I fully admit to it. I bring my dog Shadow with me almost everywhere because it gets him out of the house as well as social interaction but mostly because I feel bad he's missing out on all the fun! When I lived in North Carolina, I would take him to outside seating restaurants and he was welcomed with open arms (or paws as it were)...