Maine Texting While Driving Ban to Start This Week

A ban on sending text messages while driving is among the new laws taking effect in Maine this week.

The texting ban is prominent among the scores of laws taking effect Wednesday, the 90th day after the close of the 2011 regular legislative session.

Some of the other new laws require landlords to disclose their smoking policies, ease gun and medical marijuana restrictions and expand elder abuse protections.

For those who text while driving, fines will start at $100. State police say they’ll be on the lookout for violations that are easy to spot.