Rideshare union rights, social media limits and other state laws taking effect Jan. 1

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

This yr, states are enacting a slew of legal guidelines centered 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

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

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

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

– Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio

Extra paid time without work in Colorado for fogeys of infants within the NICU

Colorado households whose infants spend time within the NICU will have the ability to take extra paid depart this yr. Colorado’s paid household depart 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 concern, and obtain most of their pay throughout that point.

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

Democratic State Sen. Jeff Bridges was one of many foremost 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 celebration strains. 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 time without work shouldn’t be required to be paid.

– Bente Birkeland, Colorado Public Radio

Social media cut-off dates in Virginia 

A brand new regulation in Virginia, which faces a authorized problem, is designed to restrict social media use by these underneath 16 to 1 hour a day, except a father or mother agrees to an extended interval. NetChoice, a gaggle representing social media providers, claims the regulation violates the First Modification. The regulation’s writer, Democratic State Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, argues it is a “affordable try to steadiness free speech with the protection 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 primarily based on considerations about their potential results on minors.” A preliminary injunction listening to is about 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} supposed 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 enable 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 stated in December that the waiver will assist create more healthy outcomes and stated the purpose aligns with President Trump’s push to revive SNAP to its “true objective – vitamin.”

South Carolina will ban the acquisition of sweet, vitality drinks, gentle 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 yr.

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 depart as much as 20 weeks in Minnesota

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

There is a cap of 20 weeks in a yr if somebody faucets each. Those that take paid depart will obtain partial pay and can have a assure that their place at work can be there once they return. Employers are additionally barred from retaliating in opposition to staff who take the paid time without work.

This system is funded via a payroll tax break up between employers and workers.

Some enterprise teams tried to dam the laws, saying that if workers take important time without work, it may put extra work on others.

Roughly three-quarters of Minnesota staff are anticipated to obtain extra paid depart advantages underneath this system than they’d beforehand. Minnesota can be amongst 13 states to supply paid household and medical depart advantages.

– Dana Ferguson, Minnesota Public Radio

Illinois regulates AI, regardless of Trump’s government order

Beginning this yr, employers in Illinois are prohibited from utilizing synthetic intelligence in employment choices – from making new hires to selling or disciplining present workers – if the know-how components in demographic data, such because the particular person’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 know-how,” Cervantes says. “We simply need to get in entrance of it and do the most effective 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 achieved in additional than thirty fits up to now – over the brand new regulation.

– Mawa Iqbal, WBEZ