Six new state legal guidelines from rideshare driver rights to display screen deadlines : NPR

Right here at NPR, we wish to ring within the new 12 months by new state legal guidelines taking impact on Jan. 1.

This 12 months, states are enacting a slew of legal guidelines targeted on wages, social media guidelines, restrictions on gender-affirming care, AI regulation and rather more.

Here’s a sampling of a few of these modifications, as reported by public media journalists throughout the nation.

California rideshare drivers can unionize

Underneath a brand new regulation, California’s 800,000 rideshare drivers have the precise to unionize beginning on Jan. 1. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom brokered the deal between organized labor and main rideshare corporations, together with Uber and Lyft.

The rideshare giants supported the enlargement of collective bargaining rights to their drivers in change for lawmakers agreeing to slash the businesses’ insurance coverage prices for underinsured drivers.

After Massachusetts voters determined to take action in 2024, California grew to become the second state to increase collective bargaining rights to rideshare drivers.

– Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio

Extra paid day off in Colorado for folks of infants within the NICU

Colorado households whose infants spend time within the NICU will be capable to take extra paid go away this 12 months. Colorado’s paid household go away program already permits staff to take as much as 12 weeks off from work to take care of a brand new child, or for a critical household well being or private situation, and obtain most of their pay throughout that point.

Now, households whose infants require time in neonatal intensive care can apply for an further 12 weeks of paid go away. Backers say this acknowledges the additional pressure households are below when caring for preemies and different newborns with important well being issues.

Democratic State Sen. Jeff Bridges was one of many most important sponsors and says he was impressed by his personal private expertise. His new child was in intensive care, which he says was “terrifying and consuming.”

Democrats handed the invoice, principally alongside occasion traces. Opponents say they fear about elevated prices to companies and staff who pay into this system.

Illinois additionally has a brand new NICU regulation going into impact in June, however not like Colorado, the day off just isn’t required to be paid.

– Bente Birkeland, Colorado Public Radio

Social media deadlines in Virginia 

A brand new regulation in Virginia, which faces a authorized problem, is designed to restrict social media use by these below 16 to at least one hour a day, until a mum or dad agrees to an extended interval. NetChoice, a gaggle representing social media providers, claims the regulation violates the First Modification. The regulation’s creator, Democratic State Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, argues it is a “cheap try to stability free speech with the security and privateness of our youngsters.”

In authorized filings, attorneys for NetChoice name the regulation the “newest try in an extended line of presidency efforts to limit new types of constitutionally protected expression based mostly on considerations about their potential results on minors.” A preliminary injunction listening to is ready for mid-January.

– Brad Kutner, WVTF

Eighteen states prohibit SNAP cash for sweet, sodas 

With permission from the Trump administration, 18 states will ban the acquisition of sweet, sodas, vitality drinks or different gadgets utilizing federal {dollars} meant for low-income households.

The states, which embody South Carolina, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas, acquired waivers from the U.S. Division of Agriculture in 2025 that may permit them to limit Supplemental Vitamin Help Program {dollars} for gadgets the states deem non-nutritious.

Citing grownup and youngster weight problems statistics, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster mentioned in December that the waiver will assist create more healthy outcomes and mentioned the objective aligns with President Trump’s push to revive SNAP to its “true objective – vitamin.”

South Carolina will ban the acquisition of sweet, vitality drinks, comfortable drinks, and different sweetened drinks utilizing SNAP {dollars}.

Different states have narrower limits. Texas will prohibit SNAP funds for sweetened drinks and sweet, and Virginia plans to bar SNAP {dollars} for sure “sweetened drinks.” All 18 states have a goal implementation date of someday this 12 months.

Amongst different issues, critics of the waivers say they’re skeptical the bans will enhance folks’s well being.

– Maayan Schechter, South Carolina Public Radio

Paid go away as much as 20 weeks in Minnesota

Starting this week, most Minnesota staff could have entry to paid household and medical go away advantages. The state is launching a program that enables 12 weeks of paid household go away to take care of a sick beloved one or bond with a child, in addition to 12 weeks of medical go away to recuperate from sickness or damage.

There is a cap of 20 weeks in a 12 months if somebody faucets each. Those that take paid go away will obtain partial pay and could have a assure that their place at work will likely be there after they return. Employers are additionally barred from retaliating in opposition to staff who take the paid day off.

This system is funded by way of a payroll tax break up between employers and workers.

Some enterprise teams tried to dam the laws, saying that if workers take important day off, it might put extra work on others.

Roughly three-quarters of Minnesota staff are anticipated to obtain extra paid go away advantages below this system than they’d beforehand. Minnesota will likely be amongst 13 states to supply paid household and medical go away advantages.

– Dana Ferguson, Minnesota Public Radio

Illinois regulates AI, regardless of Trump’s government order

Beginning this 12 months, employers in Illinois are prohibited from utilizing synthetic intelligence in employment selections – from making new hires to selling or disciplining present workers – if the expertise components in demographic data, such because the individual’s race or ZIP code.

It is an modification to the state’s Human Rights Act and was handed by the legislature’s Democratic supermajority. Democratic State Sen. Javier Cervantes sponsored the measure. As an artist, Cervantes says he has actual considerations about how quickly AI has progressed over the previous few years.

“That is an unchecked expertise,” Cervantes says. “We simply must get in entrance of it and do the very best we are able to.”

The brand new regulation comes on the heels of President Trump’s government order directing the U.S. Division of Justice to problem states’ AI legal guidelines deemed “cumbersome.” Cervantes says he is fairly sure the DOJ will take the state to court docket – because it has accomplished in additional than thirty fits thus far – over the brand new regulation.

– Mawa Iqbal, WBEZ