(Radio Iowa) – Saturday, July 1st is the day dozens of state laws take effect, including the massive plan to reorganize state government. The number of state agencies is shrinking from 37 to 16. Next week, thousands of state employees will be reporting to new bosses. Another new state law changes child labor guidelines. It means 14 and 15 year olds can work until 11 p.m. for the rest of the summer and until 9 p.m. once school starts. Sixteen and 17 year olds can serve alcohol if they have a parent’s permission. Sixteen and 17 year olds also can work longer hours and in some jobs that were previously off limits.

Today (Friday) just before midnight is the deadline for low income Iowa parents to apply for a state-funded account to cover private school tuition. It will take a while to verify eligibility and whether there’s a spot in a private school for each child. According to the Iowa Department of Education’s website, July 15th is the earliest date the 76-hundred dollars in state funds will be deposited in one of these Education Savings Accounts.