Press secretary Robert Gibbs made the comments at his press briefing Wednesday, the same day Republicans assumed the majority in the House. They plan to vote to repeal Obama’s signature health overhaul next week.

The repeal is expected to pass the House but not the Senate, which remains under Democratic control. Gibbs says Republicans understand that it’s not going to land on Obama’s desk.

Gibbs demurred when asked whether Obama would deliver a major speech defending the law, saying the president was focused on the economy and jobs.

As Connecticut residents welcome a new year, they can also welcome 17 new laws that go into effect this month.

Many of these laws focus on the overhaul of the state probate court system and several others set new rules about insurance coverage. There are also some quirkier changes, such as a law that allows a greater variety of canned goods to be sold at farmers markets.

Sections of Public Act 09-114 outline the overhaul of the state’s probate court system and establishment of a  commission to oversee the work. That law has already led to the consolidation of the Granby, Avon, Canton and Simsbury probate courts and the Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, East Granby and Suffield probate courts.

Among the other new laws:

• PA 10-52 makes it a little less attractive for telemarketers to try to circumvent the state no-call list by increasing the maximum penalty from $5,000 to $11,000 for each violation.
• PA 10-153 requires that everyone who has not possessed a license to drive a motorcycle within the preceding two years pass a motorcycle education course before being granted a motorcycle license. That requirement previously applied only to drivers under the age of 18.
• PA 10-63 requires that health insurance policies treat intravenously and orally administered anti-cancer medications the same and that they be covered by insurance companies, not under prescription drug plans.
• PA 10-103 extends the permission to sell jams and jellies at farmers markets to other  ”acidified foods,” such as salsa, pickles and hot sauce. The products must be made with produce grown on that farm and must have a label warning customers that the contents in the jar were prepared in a kitchen exempt from government inspection.
• PA 10-110 makes multiple amendments to regulations at the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Among the changes is a requirement for a criminal record check on any applicant “seeking or renewing a license to conduct a driving school or become a driving instructor.”
• PA 10-117 establishes the Health Information Technology Exchange of Connecticut and makes it the lead health information exchange entity for the state, a designation previously held by the state Department of Public Health.

The Connecticut General Assembly’s Web site has a complete list of all the changes.