Starting January first Oregon has put into effect over 300 new bills including everything from birth control to marriage licenses -- and it's amazing. Oregon has put itself at the forefront of change, with politicians asking their wive's opinions on over the counter birth control, truly aiming to keep women's health issues between a woman and her doctor, and changing the official term "husband and wife" to "spouses."

1. Access to Birth Control

Women, age 18 or older, are now free to go to their local pharmacy and receive a prescription for birth control. While women younger than 18 still need a doctor's prescription, this is historical news on the topic of women's right's to their bodies and health care. Another great change Oregon has recently made is the requirement that all insurance companies cover a year of birth control instead of the previous five to six months. Not only are these changes to laws making it easier for women to protect themselves against pregnancy, but women are no longer inconvenienced when they do not have the time or often access to attend multiple doctor's appointments or pharmacy runs.

2. Required Sick Days

Small businesses with 10 or more employees are now required to guarantee employees, at least, five days of paid sick leave per year. This is beneficial to the people who will work through illness, often passing their sickness to others in the process, because they cannot afford the loss of income that accompanies calling out sick. Hopefully, Oregon will encourage other states, or private businesses, to follow their lead and make employees jobs, and lives, less stressful.

3. An End to Public "Vaping"

Utilizing any electronic cigarettes in public, such as at a restaurant or shopping mall, will now be illegal. This shows great improvement for public health and enjoyment. The hope being that other states will start fazing out public vaping, and cigarettes too. With cases of cancers and other secondhand smoke inhalation illnesses increasing, making smoking, at least on public grounds, illegal is one of the best steps the United States can take for its people's health and safety.

4. The "motor voter" Bill

Anyone holding an Oregon driver's license who is not registered to vote will automatically be eligible next time they renew their license. Same goes for anyone switching to an Oregon license from another state. This initiative is one of the best because it gives citizens with a license no excuse to not participate in the election of our next presidential leader, and it will hopefully raise voting rates.

5. The "ban the box" Bill

This bill takes away employers' legal ability to include a box on job applications asking if the potential employee has ever been convicted of a crime. This protects convicts against biases and makes more jobs available to them, allowing them equal opportunity when entering the job market. Hopefully, by giving convicts more opportunities to work legally, they will not need to turn to illegal or immoral ways of employment and will help eliminate a portion of the crime from our streets.

6. Hidden Cameras and Sex-Crime Prosecutions

Filming a person in a presumed private place - bathroom, changing room, shower - will now be a felony, not a misdemeanor, in Oregon. Relating to that, victims of rape will now have 12 years - previously six - to report an attack. This law was cemented by Brenda Tracy, a victim of multiple rapes encompassing her whole life.

7. Legal Documentation of the Police

Oregonians now have the legal right to film the police while they are going about their daily jobs. This is fantastic news in light of the "Black Lives Matter" movements that have been happening around the country, including my school, SUNY Geneseo, in Fall 2014. In light of the social movements that have been demanding equal rights for minority races, which are often excluded or racially judged, Oregon has put into law a movement that gives a bystander full legal right to film anything a police officer does while on duty.

8. State Marriage Statutes

Since January first all state marriage statutes say "spouses in a legal marriage" instead of the previous "husband and wife". This is another positive change toward same-sex marriage legality. New York was one of the first states to legalize gay marriage in 2011, and recently in 2015, it was declared legal throughout the United States. These are monumental steps toward the legality of marriage between two people, regardless of sex.

9. Improvements for Domestic Workers

Of Oregon's over 10, 000 domestic workers, the majority are women and immigrants. Being non-white and female, they are considered part of the minority in the United States. That's why it's fantastic that Oregon is now requiring them to receive workplace rights. These will include overtime pay, rest periods, and paid personal leave, thus working toward the improvement of their lives. This is an initiative New York City could be due to take on, as it is the original melting pot, with over one-third of it's residents being from another country.

10. Fines Regarding E-Vehicles

E-Vehicles have been becoming increasingly more popular as the population has begun to realize how our planet has been in danger since the start of the Industrial Revolution, especially due to the increased carbon emissions being released into the air. Oregon has recognized this by reserving spaces for the alternative-fuel vehicles. Since January first, if anyone parks in the space that is not an alternative-fuel vehicle they will receive a $250 fine.

11. Grandparental Rights in an Adoption

In a situation where parental rights are revoked, grandparents will now be able to maintain their relationship with their grandchildren by remaining in their lives. This is beneficial because it allows children to maintain a connection with genetic relatives while also striving for a better life through their relationship with their adopted parents, an opportunity not previously offered.

12. Cable in light of Hospice Care or Death

In the event that a person has to enter hospice care or dies, cable companies are no longer legally allowed to charge an early termination fee. This benefits families during their time of grieving and adds one less expense to the already costly funeral preparations. All in all, it serves as a bill in human decency over profit and would be beneficial if adopted by the entire country, especially in large cities such as New York where the cost of living is already so high.

In light of Oregon's new bills, it would do well for other states to consider adoptions or an addendum to better suit their occupants and provide better quality of life to everyone.