Texting ban, other new laws in 2009

California has a New Year's resolution for motorists: Keep your hands on the wheel and off that text-messaging device.AP in the Daily News.

A bill making it an infraction to write, send or read a text message while driving is among dozens of California laws that take effect Thursday.

Other new statutes will set up a state certification system for massage therapists, impose new safety requirements for wave pools, provide additional safeguards against misleading sweepstakes pitches and ensure gender equality when married couples pick a last name.