These state laws take effect today:

ATV RESTRICTIONS: Bans children younger than 8 from driving all-terrain vehicles. Children 8 to 15 are limited to less powerful machines.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP: Makes it a felony to break into a church, synagogue, chapel or other place of worship.

SKIPPING SCHOOL: Increases the penalty for helping a child skip school.

'RACHEL'S LAW': Increases punishments for someone who fires a gun into an occupied car or home. The law was named after Rachel Sanchez, a 5-year-old girl shot in the head while traveling on Interstate 40 in Catawba County in 2003.

AUTO ACCIDENTS: Prohibits passengers in cars involved in accidents from taking the wheel and leaving the scene before police say it is OK to go. The law was passed in response to the 2003 death of Stephen Gates, a Tar Heel Sports Network commentator, who was hit by a car as he changed a tire on an Orange County interstate ramp.

SEX OFFENDERS: Prohibits convicted sex offenders from offering baby-sitting services, or having baby-sitting services in their homes.

VIDEO PIRACY: Makes it illegal to use a video camera to copy movies at a theater. The first offense is misdemeanor. After that, it's a felony.

HIDING DEATHS: Makes it a felony to conceal a person's death or secretly dispose of a dead human body.

SEX WITH MINORS: Makes it a felony for a person to solicit sex from a person they believe to be a minor, including police officers posing as children.

SWINDLING: Increases penalties for people who financially exploit the elderly or disabled.

LASERS: Makes it a felony to intentionally point a laser beam at a traveling aircraft.

AUTOPSIES: Restricts access to photos and recordings from official autopsy reports.

DOG FIGHTING: Enables courts to order people arrested for dog fighting to make a deposit for the cost of animal shelters to care for the dogs while the legal case is ongoing.

COCKFIGHTING: Makes promoting or watching cockfighting a misdemeanor instead of a felony.