Surprise: ABC Investigates Frivolous Laws, Impact of Estate Tax Return in 2011

In a welcome change of pace, Good Morning America on Saturday provided a skeptical look about a glut of new laws that have gone into effect in 2010. ABC correspondent Laura Marquez warned, "From the serious to the frivolous, legislators passed more than 40,000 new laws." She chided, "And some argue telling people how to behave isn't part of the legislator's job description."

The morning show even highlighted, albeit briefly, the possible effects of having the estate tax expire in 2010 and come back to life in 2011. Marquez explained, "All states are affected by a new federal law repealing the estate tax for one year, letting heirs of the wealthy hang on to all of their inheritance."

Estate tax planner Andrew Katzenstein told GMA viewers: "It's now becoming part of the discussion that people are having in trying to determine whether or not they should end somebody's life or continue it." ABCNews.com described the situation this way: "For example, a wealthy person who dies on January 1, 2011, and left her heirs $10 million would really be leaving them $5.05 million because of taxes. If they died a day earlier (assuming no changes were made in tax laws), the heirs could receive the full $10 million."

It would seem that such a law, and its life-and-death ramifications, would be heavily covered by a responsible media. Hopefully, other programs will follow the lead of ABC and do more stories on this subject.

The anti-regulatory tone of the piece is not often seen on network television. Marquez also featured legal analyst Dana Cole to deride: "It seems that a lot of these legislators get a real kick out of trying to micromanage the lives of people."

A transcript of the January 2 segment, which aired at 7:14am EST, follows:

KATE SNOW: Dan, as sure as packed airports, college football bowl games, and hangovers on this first weekend of the New Year. There will also be laws that took effect on New Year's Day and the start of 2010 has seen plenty of new laws regulating everything from tanning to texting. ABC's Laura Marquez takes a look.

LAURA MARQUEZ: People in 30 states woke up New Year's Day to new rules on how to behave from smoking to what you can eat to sun tanning. In the Lone Star State, legislators passed a law regulating minors' exposure to ultraviolet rays. Teenagers who want to get in one of these have to have an adult come with them to the tanning salon. In California, a law aimed at curtailing the paparazzi. Many of the nation's most photographed celebrities now can sue if pictures are snapped while they are engaged in personal activities. The Golden State is also taking the lead in making sure its fried chicken doesn't clog your arteries. Restaurants here can no longer use oil, margarine or shortening that contain more than half a gram of trans fat. Violators could be fined up to a thousand bucks.

LORI STRANGE (Dinah's Chicken): Somebody has to do it. It might as well be us, and being that we're more health conscious.

MARQUEZ: In Illinois, residents no longer talk on their cell phones while driving in school zones. And won't be able to multitask anymore by sending text messages to friends while driving.

DAVE DRUKER: There are also fines ranging anywhere from $75 to $150.

MARQUEZ: In New Hampshire same-sex couples rang in the New Year by getting married.

NEW HAMPSHIRE OFFICIAL (FEMALE): You are married.

MARQUEZ: And in North Carolina, the nation's leading producer of tobacco, lawmakers banned smoking in most restaurants and bars.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: : For me to say you can't do this, but you can do that, you know, I just don't think that's the way we operate here.

GRAPHIC: NO ESTATE TAX FOR ONE YEAR

MARQUEZ: All states are affected by a new federal law repealing the estate tax for one year letting heirs of the wealthy hang on to all of their inheritance.ANDREW KATZENSTEIN (estate tax planner): It's now becoming part of the discussion that people are having in trying to determine whether or not they should end somebody's life or continue it.

MARQUEZ: From the serious to the frivolous, legislators passed more than 40,000 new laws.

DANA COLE (legal analyst): It seems that a lot of these legislators get a real kick out of trying to micromanage the lives of people.

MARQUEZ: And some argue telling people how to behave isn't part of the legislator's job description. For Good Morning America, Laura Marquez, ABC News, Los Angeles.