New laws kicked in on July 1

That Coke costs a little more today than it did Tuesday. A 6 percent sales tax on sugary drinks took effect July 1.

Here’s a rundown on state laws that took effect July 1.

• Soda tax: The Legislature decided to extend the sales tax to soda and other sweet drinks as part of a tax package passed this year.

In addition, all food and beverages sold in vending machines are now subject to the 9 percent Vermont meals and rooms tax.

Vermont has the eighth-lowest adult obesity rate in the country, according to the 2014 State of Obesity report. However, almost 62 percent of Vermont adults are overweight and/or obese and about 11.3 percent of children in Vermont ages 10 through 17 are obese, according to a 2011 survey cited in the report.

Jim Harrison, president of the Vermont Retailers and Grocers Association, said the Legislature made grocers’ job “a little more difficult with the definition that was selected for ‘soft drinks.’ Retailers are busy trying to figure out what items in their store are taxable and which ones are not.”

Not subject to the soft-drink tax are items purchased with food stamps; those that contain milk, soy, rice or other milk substitutes; and those with more than 50 percent vegetable or fruit juice by volume, according to a Vermont Department of Taxes fact sheet.

Soft drinks are defined as nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners.

• Lobbyist disclosures: Lobbyists, lobbyist employers and lobbying firms in the Statehouse will be required to disclose expenses more often during the legislative session. All three groups will be required to file their expenditures monthly while lawmakers are in Montpelier, increasing the annual reporting dates to seven times a year. Lobbyists will also be required to report mass media purchases of $1,000 or more within 48 hours. Advertisements paid for by lobbyists that are designed to influence legislative action must also state that the ad was paid for by the lobbyist or lobbying firm.

• Hand-held cellphones: It’s now illegal to use a hand-held cellphone while stopped in traffic, such as a stoplight. Lawmakers clarified last year’s ban on the use of hand-held cellphones while driving to include vehicles stopped in traffic. Drivers may use hand-held devices while safely parked in a legal space. The use of hands-free electronic devices, such as Bluetooth, is allowed while driving.

• Water quality: A 0.2 percent surcharge has been added to the 1.25 percent property transfer tax, imposed whenever property is bought or sold. The surcharge is expected to raise $5.3 million in the next 12 months; the money will be used to help clean up the state’s waters. The first $200,000 of property value is exempt from the surcharge if the buyer obtains certain government-funded mortgages.

• Solid waste: The state now requires that recycling containers be located in all public buildings and properties, and trash haulers must offer curbside service for household recycling. The law also requires a Pay As You Throw program, in which people are charged for the volume and weight of their trash, rather than one standard fee for collecting trash.

• Latin motto: Vermont has a new Latin motto, “Stella quarta decima fulgeat,” which means “May the 14th star shine bright.” Vermont was the 14th state to join the union. The motto used to appear on state coins.

• Animal cruelty: Added to the animal cruelty law are people who own or use equipment to train animals to fight.

• Sex offenders: The responsibility for reporting information about convicted sex offenders to the state’s sex offender registry now belongs to the court system, rather than the Department of Public Safety.

VTDigger’s Tom Brown contributed to this report.