Dec. 31 (UPI) — Wednesday marks the beginning of the new year and with it comes new laws taking effect.
There is an emphasis on the tech industry, artificial intelligence and data privacy among 2025’s new laws. New firearm regulations are also coming into effect after more than 500 people died in more than 500 mass shootings in the United States in 2024.
Here are just some of the laws that are taking effect on Wednesday.
Firearms
California is enacting several laws related to possessing firearms. Among them is an expansion of the considerations for restraining orders that prohibit the possession or purchase of a firearm.
California’s assembly bill 2917 amends the Workplace Violence Restraining Order law. With the amendment, threats to groups and locations can be considered for granting a restraining order that prohibits a person from purchasing or possessing a firearm or ammunition for one to five years. This restriction can be renewed for additional time if the subject poses a significant danger of self harm or harm to others.
The bill also authorizes the court to consider out-of-state protective orders against an individual when determining if they should be barred from owning a firearm.
The state legislature passed an amendment to its penal code that removes the exemption of private party transactions in its 30-day single firearm purchase law. A person cannot purchase more than one firearm within a 30-day period, with some exceptions for law enforcement officials, security companies and the film and television industry.
Minnesota’s new ban on binary triggers takes effect on Wednesday. A binary trigger or binary firing system is a type of trigger that allows a gun to fire two rounds with one pull of the trigger. The first round is fired with the trigger pull and the second with its release. This allows firearms to fire much more quickly.
The state already has a law in effect banning trigger activators. These devices can be attached to a firearm to increase its rate of fire. The new law, filed in the legislature as house file 2609, clarifies that binary trigger systems are also illegal.
Under the already existing law, knowingly transferring an illegal firearm, or transferring a firearm to a person who is ineligible to possess it, is a gross misdemeanor. The penalty may be enhanced if the firearm is used by the recipient to commit a felony or violent crime, with a maximum sentence of two years in prison, up to $20,000 in fines or both.
New Hampshire has amended its firearm storage requirements. The amendment prohibits any employer that receives public funds from barring employees from keeping firearms or ammunition in their vehicle, if they are possessed legally. The vehicle must be locked and the firearm and ammunition may not be visible.
Delaware is expanding its school safety zone law to include colleges and universities. This makes possessing a firearm on college campuses illegal. Violation of the law is a Class E felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Child social media use
Florida is banning children under the age of 14 from creating accounts on social media platforms. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the ban into law in March.
DeSantis said the new law “gives parents a greater ability to protect their children.” He previously vetoed a bill that would have banned social media for children ages 16 and younger.
“Social media harms children in a variety of ways,” said DeSantis.
Tennessee enacted a similar measure, the Protecting Children from Social Media Act. This law requires parents to consent to their children opening a social media account and requires social media companies to verify the age of new account holders within 14 days. Users must be 18 years old or be emancipated from their parents to open an account.
AI, tech, data regulations
At the nexus of tech and entertainment, California has a new provision taking effect to protect performers from having their likeness and voice digitally replicated without their permission.
This law also applies to the deceased. Any person who produces or publishes a digital replica of a deceased person’s likeness or voice without specified prior consent may face fines. A person’s likeness or voice cannot be replicated for merchandise, goods, advertising, selling or soliciting within 70 years of that person’s death.
Iowa, Nebraska and New Hampshire are enacting efforts to regulate the use of consumer data and private information.
Iowa’s Consumer Protection Act establishes new consumer data rights and requires businesses to protect personal information.
Iowa’s law does not require businesses to conduct data protection impact assessments as many other states do. It exempts nonprofit organizations, government agencies and public and private colleges and universities. It also does not protect data related to employment, credit reporting or health records.
Nebraska’s Data Privacy Act, signed in April by Gov. Jim Pillen, establishes requirements and limits on the data certain businesses obtain from consumers.
Similar to the Iowa law, Nebraska’s law exempts government agencies as well as financial institutions, nonprofit organizations and medical records already protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
The New Hampshire Data Privacy Act grants consumers the right to confirm whether a business is controlling or processing their data, demand personal data obtained about them be deleted and opt out of having their data collected for advertising or to be sold.
“Ensuring accountability, transparency, and consumer choice regarding how companies handle and monetize the personal data of their customers is a priority of my office,” New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a statement. “For too long companies have earned unfathomable profits by harvesting the personal data of its users without providing a meaningful opportunity for consumers to make informed choices about how their data is or is not used.”
Marijuana use
Kentucky is the lone new state to legalize medical marijuana starting on Wednesday.
Gov. Andy Beshear signed a bill into law legalizing medical marijuana in the Bluegrass State in March 2023. Since then, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services has developed regulations for the state’s medical marijuana program for its launch.
Kentucky joins 47 states that have legalized cannabis for medical purposes.
Anti-discrimination laws
Illinois is extending its anti-discrimination protections to prohibit discrimination against people based on their reproductive health decisions. This includes a person’s decisions related to contraception, fertility or sterilization care, miscarriage management care, assisted reproductive technologies and the continuation or termination of pregnancy.
California’s assembly bill 1955 prohibits school policies that require any staff to inform a student’s parents if they have changed their gender identification at the school. The law also applies to county offices of education, charter schools, state special schools and the governing bodies and boards of any of those schools.
Labor and wages
Several states are bringing into place new labor laws, including laws related to child labor.
California will now require employers to publish the results of child labor audits to increase transparency. Assembly bill 3234 requires that businesses demonstrate their compliance with child labor laws by noting when an audit took place, reporting the house children have worked and reporting instances when a child was exposed to a hazardous or unsafe situation, including those unsafe for mental and physical health.
Illinois is repealing and replacing its existing child labor law with a new law that clarifies occupations that are prohibited for children. It outlines the hours that children are allowed to work, rules regarding break periods and employment certification. All minors are required to be under supervision of an adult who is 21 or old at all times.
Indiana is also amending its child labor laws to expand the hours minors are allowed to work. Minors age 14 and 15 will no longer be barred from working after 7 p.m. on a school night. Hour and time restrictions for children 16 to 18 are removed.
Minnesota is calling for more transparency about employer pay in job postings. Its new law requires that employers post salary ranges on their job postings. This applies to businesses that employ at least 30 people. They must also describe all benefits and other compensation that will be offered.
Illinois is also enacting a pay transparency law, requiring employers to post pay scale and benefit information on job listings. This applies to businesses that employ at least 15 people. Those businesses must also notify all current employees within 14 days about an external job posting for the purpose of giving them opportunities for promotions.
Delaware and Maine begin requiring businesses to contribute to their paid and medical family leave programs. The contribution requirements vary based on the number of employees a business has.
In Delaware, most businesses that have 10 employees or more will be required to contribute, at least to parental leave. Paid leave can be used to care for a new child, address personal health conditions or care for a family member with a serious health condition.
Maine’s program requires any employer with a single employee or more to begin contributing to its program. Employers with 15 or more employees are required to contribute 1% of wages and may deduct half of the contribution from employee wages.
Wages are increasing for a number of states starting in the new year.
Federal contractors will receive a minimum pay increase from $17.20 to $17.75.
California is increasing its minimum wage from $16 to $16.50. The minimum salary for full-time exempt employees is increasing from $66,560 to $68,640.
Colorado’s state salary threshold is increasing for employees at several levels, including executives, administrators and other professionals. Maine, Washington and New York are also increasing their minimum salary threshold for state employees.
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