NEW YORK — New laws are likely to go into effect in some state in 2025, to name a few hot topics.
Many of the laws that take effect in January are the result of laws passed this year. Some result from ballot measures approved by voters. Some are facing legal problems.
Here are some of the most notable state laws in effect.
Media related
California, home to Hollywood and the biggest tech companies, is trying to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and impose certain conditions on social media stars. A new law would ban the unauthorized use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers and allow the estates of deceased performers to sue over unauthorized use of AI.
Several new measures in California aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged. These include requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive election-related content and restricting individuals for using AI to create fabricated images and videos in the political arena. These include those that allow a person to sue for damages. advertisement.
Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside a portion of their income for young influencers. The new law also allows children to sue their parents for neglecting their duties.
New social media restrictions are being challenged in court in several states.
Florida law prohibits children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds. But enforcement has been delayed by lawsuits brought by two associations for online companies, with public hearings scheduled for late February.
Similarly, a new Tennessee law requiring parental consent for minors to open social media accounts has been challenged by online business trade group NetChoice. There is.
Gender and abortion rights
In a first in the nation, California will begin implementing a law that prohibits school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents when a child changes gender identity. The law was a top priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to block such policies passed in several districts.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned abortion rights nationwide in 2022, many states have passed laws restricting or protecting abortion rights. One of the newest states is Democratic-led Delaware. The country’s legislation would require health insurance plans for state employees and Medicaid plans for low-income residents to cover abortions without deductibles, copays or other cost-sharing requirements.
minimum wage and taxes
Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are set to get raises in January. The highest minimum wages are in Washington state, California, and Connecticut, all of which will exceed $16 an hour after small increases.
The largest increases are expected in Delaware, where the minimum wage will increase by $1.75 an hour to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will raise the current minimum wage to $15. An additional $1.50 is added to a given hourly wage of $12.
Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
Meanwhile, tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay taxes on their monthly rent, thanks to the repeal of a law that allowed cities and towns to levy taxes. The new law is a victory for renters, but an economic loss for the government. An analysis by Arizona’s bipartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimates $230 million in lost city tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation.
Additionally, Alabama plans to offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs, and Kansas plans to eliminate its 2% sales tax on groceries.
Kansas is also reducing personal income taxes by lowering the top tax rate, expanding the child care deduction, and completely exempting Social Security income. Taxpayers are expected to save approximately $320 million annually going forward.
Contributors: Tran Nguyen, Kate Payne, Jonathan Mathis, Randall Chase, Steve Karnowski, Bruce Schreiner, Claire Rush, Summer Valentin, Gabriel Sandoval, Kim Chandler, John Hannah, Sean・Murphy.
