Happy October 1

A pile of new laws welcomes citizens every October 1. Here are a few that take effect today:

Maryland: No more driving within 12 hours of getting busted for DWI; moms have the right to breast-feed infants in any public or private place; and more.

Connecticut: No more smoking in restaurants; spammers must put the letters "ADV" in their subject lines; and more.

Florida: No more cyberstalking, and more.

Nevada: No more lying lobbyists, and more.

Indiana: New background checks for gun buyers.

Louisiana: Principals are now obligated to discipline students sent to the office by teachers. Plus the Bayou State's blood alcohol limit for drivers drops to 0.08 percent, as it does in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and other states that want federal highway funding.

Good news in China: People no longer need the boss' okay to get married. (But where they live is still dictated by the state.)