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In the last year of full Democratic control, 185 different bills were signed into law.  Still, the biggest change you're going to notice was not one of them.  The minimum wage is set to increase twice this year, once this month and once next month.  That's because the Supreme Court ruled back in late July that the legislature acted unconstitutionally when they voted to adopt and amend two ballot initiatives in the same session in 2018.  As ususal, many laws enacted make absolutely no sense.  Some are shown below.

Now, on February 21, the minimum wage will go all the way up to $12.48 per hour.  In addition, the state will also begin phasing out the tipped minimum wage, and all workers will have the opportunity to earn paid time off.  A wave of new legislation that took effect on January 1, 2025, will reshape laws across the United States, introducing crucial updates on paid family leave, anti-discrimination protections, workplace safety, and more.

New laws in America in 2025 include laws on artificial intelligence, consumer protections, and transgender health care.  They also include laws on employment, medical marijuana, and tenant protections.

Artificial Intelligence

  • California Transparency Act: Requires AI businesses to identify AI-generated content
  • AB 1836 and AB 2602 are laws in California that prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to replicate a deceased person's likeness or voice without permission.

Consumer Protections

  • Data privacy: More than half a dozen states will have new data privacy laws
    Federal ID requirements: Air travelers will need to present compliant licenses or identification cards to fly domestically

Transgender Health Care

  • Surgical care for transgender youth: New laws will regulate surgical care for transgender youth

Employment

  • Paid family leave: New laws will update paid family leave
  • Anti-discrimination protections: New laws will update anti-discrimination protections
  • Workplace safety: New laws will update workplace safety

Medical Marijuana

  • Kentucky: Kentucky will allow people to use marijuana for medical purposes.

Tenant Protections

  • Assembly Bill 2747: Tenants will receive the offer to report from their landlord.

Porn

  • In Florida, HB 3 requires age verification for access to websites with adult content.  In order to prove you are 18 years or older, you would need to upload your government ID for every adult content website you’d like to access.  While it's important to keep minors off such websites, risking leaks of personal information is just another doorway into a massive data breach.
  • Unsurprisingly in California, AB1825 makes it harder for parents to demand removal of pornographic books in libraries.  

Other Laws

  • California Governor Gavin Newsom signed state Assembly Bill 1775 in September, clearing the path for Amsterdam-style "cannabis cafés" to open in the Golden State in 2025.  The law will allow state-licensed marijuana dispensaries and venues to host live music and other performance events and to sell food and nonalcoholic beverages.
  • AB 1955 goes into effect in California and prohibits teachers from telling parents that a student is struggling with their identity or orientation. This policy is currently being challenged in federal court and will likely be declared unconstitutional—but for now it is officially on the books.
  • ABX2-1 also goes into effect in California and would require costly storage regulations on the oil and gas industry—with costs passed on to consumers, of course.  Combined with new air regulations approved by CARB, expect a 75 cents to $1 dollar spike in the price of gas in a state that already has some of the highest gas prices in the nation.
  • California voter ID rules: New laws will regulate voter ID in California.
  • New Hampshire gender-affirming surgery for minors: New laws will regulate gender-affirming surgery for minors in New Hampshire.
  • Texas vehicle safety tests: New laws will regulate vehicle safety tests in Texas.
  • New York state Assembly Bill A6957A, which was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in December, specifically "requires car washes to disclose when promotions expire."
  • Getting close to first responders will be a crime in 2025 under Florida's new “Halo Law.”  The public will need to stay twenty-five feet away.  Any laws with a hard and fast number like this one are nonsensical.  Firstly, who the hell is going to do the measuring?  Secondly, this law will almost certainly be used when convenient.  For example, a police officer going into a donut shop will no doubt be surrounded by people much closer than this new law requires.  At the flip of a switch, those people could instantly become criminals.  This law is a classic example of why we need less laws, not more laws.

It’s more important than ever to make sure you are up to date with the constantly changing landscape of laws, particularly criminal laws that can blindside you.  What is even more important is protecting yourself before you experience legal issues, and the best way to do that is to pick up a copy of our book, Stack the Legal Odds in Your Favor, which is also available in libraries nationwide and free for Kindle Unlimited users.  In the comments below, state your opinion regarding what you think about these or any other nonsensical laws in your area.