HARRISBURG -- The new year brings with it some changes in state and local laws.
Many gas stations list the price of regular at more than $2.50 per gallon. Last year at the time, a gallon averaged $2.16.
The eight cents per gallon hike that took effect in 2017 is the last of three gas tax increases in Pennsylvania to raise money for road and bridge repair.
License plate registration stickers are on the way out.
The stickers are being replaced with a high-tech system that allows police to scan and read license plates. You will still need to have your cars, pickups, and SUVs inspected and registered.
A trip on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will cost you more. Beginning January 8, tolls will rise six percent.
People convicted of just one drunk driving offense in 2017 will have to blow into a mechanical device on their vehicles to prove they are sober before they can start their cars. In the past, the interlock only applied to repeat DUI offenders.
Beginning January 14, distributors can sell beer by the six-pack, and on Sundays, they can begin selling beer at 9 a.m. instead of 11 a.m.
Pet owners in Luzerne County face criminal charges if they leave animals outside for more than a half hour if the temperature is below 26 degrees, above 92 degrees, or during a severe weather advisory. That law takes effect March 1.