now that the new year has arrived, so have the new laws. nbc's pete williams takes a look at some of the new measures. >> reporter: students entering high school in ohio in the new year won't be allowed to graduate until they complete a course in financial literacy. about such issues as taxes and interest rates. many students say it's what they need to know. >> i would say, yeah, undoubtedly the most important. it helps you manage your money. >> reporter: today it's illegal to chain up your dog in texas. any outdoor restraint must be lighter and more flexible and dogs must have adequate shelter, shade and water. >> texas wants to lead the way when it comes to animal abuse. and with this new tethering bill, i think we'll be able to do that. >> reporter: governor greg abbott at first vetoed the law and then signed a new version after he was hit by a flood of tweets with the hash tag