New year, new laws: Plenty of story ideas for consumers, companies
With new state laws just taking effect in many states over the weekend, you might want to mine your state’s legislation for interesting business and consumer angles.
As USA Today points out in “New laws hit the books in new year,” new rules on the books range from California’s new helmet law for minors skiing or snowboarding (a boon for safety device makers and ski shops?) to telemarketing penalties in Connecticut to payday lending limits in Montana.
The National Conference of State Legislatures offers a roundup of new laws; it’s well worth printing out and perusing the entire document, which is handily categorized under topics ranging from consumer protection to financial services to transportation. (And while you’re at it, take a look at the financial and other effects of laws enacted in your state a year ago; how have they panned out for the pocketbooks of companies and consumers?)
Even new laws enacted in states others than yours — or in areas that don’t immediately seem to concern traditional business beats — can suggest niche industries, special interests and practices you could look into in your neck of the woods. For example, Utah will begin collecting DNA specimens from certain people arrested for “violent” felonies. That starts the mental wheels churning about DNA processing labs, what other sorts of services they are offering these days (Paternity testing? Dog waste testing to determine non-cleaner-uppers?); DNA technology trends in agriculture, forensics or whatever industry is pertinent in your region; medical test kit suppliers and other business angles to the cell-swabbing lines of business.
Try similar brainstorming with other laws that affect industries from wind energy to cell phones to penson funds. Some examples:
Corrections. California has adopted a number of new laws having to do with inmate parole, release or alternative programs; even if you aren’t in the Golden State you might look into the contractors that serve your prison system, from risk-assessment providers to jobs skills and substance-abuse program practitioners and other services that are contracted to private firms. From there it’s a short leap to taking a look at food-service, specialty product (metal toilets? contracting?) and other suppliers to your state’s prison system, all of which can make for substantive reads. In particular, take a look at local vs. out-of-state sourcing for prison needs, and for-profit vs. non-profit providers. Take a similar approach to laws affecting your state’s education system; prisons and schools are generally the most costly areas to taxpayers outside of Medicaid and thus the most likely to offer interesting financial angles.
Health care. Connecticut is going to require insurers to cover oral chemotherapy as favorably as the intravenous drugs. This is an obvious springboard, even if you aren’t in Connecticut, to take a look at costs and innovations in the cancer-fighting world. What sorts of research are bio-med companies or pharmaceutical makers doing near you; how are infusion centers and other chemotherapy treatment areas changing as the treatments change? (Some, for example, now feature cubicles decorated like miniature boutique hotel rooms, complete with flat-panel TVs, fine wood furniture and art-glass privacy windows. Who designs, builds and pays for these welcome new amenities in patient care?)
Federal tax laws. New rules at the federal level also provide fodder for business journalists; this USA Today article outlines a number of tax breaks included in the recent tax package that also extended unemployment benefits.
As with state rule changes, you need not necessarily write explicitly about the new laws, though those stories are interesting, too, but use them as idea nuggets for topics of broader interest or stories for technology, workplace and other beats. For example, the R&D credits may prompt some pondering about the research corridors and public/private/university R&D partnerships in your area. What fascinating projects are under way in these labs, what products might they lead to and what careers do they inspire?
