A number of new laws take effect today in Virginia.

One, involving the suspension of a teen’s driver’s license for truancy, was championed by retiring Roanoke state Del. William Fralin.

New penalties for texting while driving are expected to get attention. Another law that made news in Virginia — a smoking ban in restaurants — won’t take effect until December.

Here’s a look at some of the more noteworthy new laws that take effect today:

• Texting and driving

Drivers will be fined $20 for a first offense and $50 for a second offense if they are cited for attempting to send text or e-mail messages while driving. The law is classified as a secondary offense, meaning an officer must stop the driver for a different reason. It allows exceptions for emergency vehicle operators, drivers reporting an emergency and drivers who are parked.

• Go to class or lose your license

If a student younger than 18 has 10 or more consecutive unexcused absences from school, the school may ask a juvenile court to suspend the student’s driver’s license. A judge can suspend the student’s license for any period of time until the student turns 18. There are exceptions for students who have withdrawn from school or transferred to another school.

• Mo-peds, bikes and toy vehicles

Mo-peds will be banned from interstate highways and violators will face a $50 fine. If the mo-ped will be driven faster than 35 mph, it must be titled and registered as a motorcycle. The law also applies to bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, electric toy vehicles and electric personal assistive mobility devices.

• Consumer protection

Mortgage lenders operating in Virginia are subject to deceptive practice prohibitions that are enforceable by the attorney general.

Foreclosure-prevention companies are not permitted to charge or receive a fee until they have completed the services they have agreed to perform.

• Novelty lighters

Novelty lighters cannot be sold to people under the age of 18. The penalty for violating the law is a $100 fine.

• Ignition interlocks for drunken drivers

A driver convicted of driving while intoxicated for the second time in 10 years must install ignition interlock devices on all vehicles they own or co-own to retain their driving privileges. Drivers must exhale into the device and the vehicle will not start if their breath-alcohol concentration exceeds a programmed level.

• Driver safety courses

Drivers 55 and older can take crash-prevention courses online if the company offering the course is approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance companies may offer a premium reduction to drivers who take the safety courses online.

• Election reforms

Emergency response workers are added to the list of people eligible to vote by absentee ballot, and voters are allowed to wear election paraphernalia such as T-shirts and buttons inside the polling place.

• No public access to concealed handgun database

Virginia will permanently bar public access to a state police database of individuals with concealed handgun permits. Permit information will remain available to the public on a locality-by-locality basis in circuit courts.