The new year has kicked off a fresh slate of bills for the California State legislative delegation from Orange County. Bills planned for introduction, or already in the pipeline, include laws to further protect against distracted driving and slash debt for veterinarians in training.

State legislation can take years of rewrites, revisions and even reintroductions before it is accepted into law. These bills represent some of the initial ideas of laws that could one day be voted in, then signed by the governor, or disappear altogether.

Assembly Member Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, introduced a bill to tamp down on distracted driving and prevent drivers ages 18 to 21 from using a mobile device. Current law prevents all drivers from holding and operating a cell phone or other mobile device, but allows hands-free use. Drivers under 18 are already forbidden from using a cellphone hands-free. Dixon’s legislation, Assembly Bill 276, would extend those restrictions to people up to 21. Her office reports that 74.3% of Californians said distracted driving was their biggest concern on the roads, according to a study from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

To hedge against veterinary shortages, California Assembly Member Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, introduced Assembly Bill 1237. The “California Public Interest Veterinary Debt Relief Act” would leverage state and private money in the interest of defraying the student loans of veterinarians working in California. Her office said the bill would “mitigate the crisis-level shortage of veterinarians in California,” by offering assistance up to $150,000. The bill is co-sponsored by the San Diego Humane Society and San Francisco SPCA.

California State Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, introduced a bill to improve the financial literacy of K-12 students. The bill intends to require continued education over the years, allowing teachers some leeway in how and when they present the material. Senate Bill 342 aims to prepare students for real-world situations, including personal finance. The bill would allow teachers to include information on budgeting, personal banking, taxes and other topics.

California State Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, wants the state to pressure banks that want to do business with the government to cut ties with the gun industry. Min has authored gun safety legislation in the past, including Senate Bill 915, which effectively ends the sale of guns and ammunition at all state fairs. Senate Bill 637 would deal another blow to the industry. The bill “applies to every aspect of the California’s public finances, including municipal bonds, capital projects and the State’s debt portfolio,” according to Min’s office. The recently introduced bill comes in the wake of more high-profile shootings in California.