New Oklahoma State Laws go into effect today

--House Bill 2026: Expands the Insure Oklahoma health insurance premium assistance program by creating a core benefits package for young, healthy Oklahomans to purchase inexpensive insurance policies and an insurance hub to help match Oklahomans to private insurance plans that fit their needs.

--House Bill 1603: Civil justice legislation designed to cut down on frivolous lawsuits that supporters believe will help reduce health care costs, reverse a doctor and nurse shortage and attract businesses to the state. It caps non-economic damages except in cases of gross negligence.

--Senate Bill 812: Lemon Law legislation that gives vehicle buyers better protections if the new car or truck they have purchased turns out to be defective.

--House Bill 1114: Bans human cloning in Oklahoma.

--Senate Bill 135: A plan to increase the number of therapists serving children with autism. The bill creates a licensing process for national board certified behavioral analysts and trains more doctors to treat autism.

--House Bill 1003: Removes regulatory barriers by allowing family businesses with five or fewer employees who are all related to be exempted from workers' compensation insurance requirements.

--House Bill 1953: Makes companies that support, repair and maintain service activities for wind industry energy companies eligible for the state's Quality Jobs Act to help attract companies to Oklahoma involved in all aspects of the wind energy industry.

--House Bill 394: Eliminates barriers to alternative teacher certification.

--Senate Bill 833: Encourages state agencies to develop and implement an energy efficiency and conservation plan and calls for the designation of a current employee at each agency to help develop an energy plan.

--Senate Bill 2: Expands special police license plates to include university and common education police officers and creates nine new specialized license plates; National Weather Center; Operation Iraqi Freedom; In God We Trust; Make-A-Wish Foundation; Autism Awareness; Folds of Honor; South Central PGA Foundation; Putnam City High School, and OKC Thunder.