From AI to abortion: Key State laws taking effect across America in 2025

In 2025, new US state laws will come into effect which will address Artificial intelligence issue, abortion rights, gun control, minimum wage hikes, and medical marijuana legalization. These laws signify significant changes in social policies, economic measures, and individual rights, reshaping the landscape across the country.

Here are the key takeaways from the new state laws taking effect in 2025:

Artificial Intelligence and Social Media

• California: New laws protect performers from unauthorized AI replicas and extend these rights to the estates of deceased individuals. Parents profiting from child influencers must set aside earnings, and children can sue for noncompliance.

Social Media Restrictions:

• Florida and Tennessee require parental consent for minors opening social media accounts.
• California’s new measures to combat political deepfakes face legal challenges.

School Policies on Gender Identity

• California: Prohibits school districts from notifying parents if children change their gender identity, marking a national first.

Abortion Rights

• Delaware: State employee and Medicaid health plans must cover abortions without cost-sharing requirements, reflecting ongoing shifts in state-level abortion laws.

Gun Control

• Minnesota: Bans firearms with binary triggers for rapid fire.
• Delaware: Prohibits guns in college and university zones, with exceptions for law enforcement.

Medical Marijuana

• Kentucky: Joins nearly four-fifths of U.S. states by legalizing medical marijuana for qualifying conditions like cancer and chronic pain.

Minimum Wage Increases

• Over 20 states will raise minimum wages, with the highest rates in Washington, California, and Connecticut, surpassing $16/hour.
• Delaware and Nebraska: Lead with significant increases, while 20 states still adhere to the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.

Transportation Safety

• Oregon: Drug use on public transit becomes a misdemeanour to enhance safety.
• Missouri: Implements penalties for handheld cellphone use while driving, ranging from fines to imprisonment for severe violations.

Tax Changes

• Arizona: Ends municipal taxes on rent, benefiting tenants but reducing government revenue by $230 million annually.
• Kansas: Eliminates a 2% grocery sales tax and reduces income taxes, saving taxpayers $320 million annually.
• Alabama: Introduces tax credits for businesses assisting employees with childcare costs.

Voting Rights

• Oklahoma: Expands voting rights to individuals with discharged or commuted felony sentences, including reclassified crimes.

With input from AP