New laws for 2008 — inspired by some hot-button issues of 2007 — take effect this week, including an airline passenger bill of rights, mortgage restrictions, environmental safeguards, illegal-immigration constraints and bans on the risky uses of technology while driving. The National Conference of State Legislatures says 31 states unveiled new laws Tuesday. Among the most common decrees are hikes in the minimum wage in 14 states. Among the more unusual changes: American flags sold in Minnesota must be made in the USA, shoes and sportswear fashioned from Kangaroo hides can be imported into California, and anyone selling a Texas home must disclose whether it was once a methamphetamine factory. The nightmare of being trapped in a JetBlue aircraft for up to 10 hours spawned New York's passenger bill of rights, which passed unanimously. The law comes on the heels of a number of delays last winter at John F. Kennedy International Airport that left some passengers stranded on the tarmac for hours. New York state Sen. Charles Fuschillo, a Long Island Republican who co-sponsored the bill, said Tuesday that other states are showing an interest in similar action. "I hope this wakes up people two ways," Fuschillo says. "(I hope it) wakes up the airline industry that they have to treat customers better and wakes up Congress that this should be done on a national level." Under the law, airlines must provide fresh food, water, air and clean restrooms for passengers on any aircraft stuck on a tarmac for more than three hours. Other issues and the laws they triggered: •The nation's mortgage crisis means lenders in California and Colorado must now do a better job of evaluating a borrower's ability to repay the loan. Colorado is also giving delinquent borrowers several more months to get caught up. New York is requiring a criminal background check for loan officers. •Environmental and consumer concerns led Illinois to mandate energy-efficient light bulbs in buildings larger than 1,000 square feet and Minnesota to ban mercury in everything from new stoves and barometers to over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and toiletries. Connecticut is expanding a tax break for fuel-efficient cars. •Worries about illegal immigration spawned a tough Arizona law that strips a business of its license for knowingly hiring undocumented workers. • Same-sex unions are now extended to couples in New Hampshire, and Oregon has new domestic partnership procedures for same-sex couples. More states are curbing smoking and limiting new technology. Illinois is banning smoking in public areas, and California is making it illegal to smoke in a car if a minor is inside. Drivers younger than 18 cannot use a cellphone in Oregon. And in Washington, text messaging behind the wheel is now illegal. "Any distraction is a bad distraction, but texting in particular," says Bob Calkins, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. "Nobody is that good a driver that they can have their eyes down looking at a PDA and not looking at the road." Contributing: The Associated Press Conversation guidelines: USA TODAY welcomes your thoughts, stories and information related to this article. Please stay on topic and be respectful of others. Keep the conversation appropriate for interested readers across the map.