Taylor Swift performs onstage for the opening night time of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz.
Kevin Winter/Getty Pictures for TAS Rights Administration
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Kevin Winter/Getty Pictures for TAS Rights Administration
Throughout the nation, the brand new yr will usher in 1000’s of latest state legal guidelines.
At the least 20 states improve statewide minimal wage beginning Jan. 1 — the very best in Washington state at $16.66 an hour, followed by California at $16.50. Kentucky turns into the most recent state to legalize medical marijuana and several other states, together with Delaware, tighten gun control.
Listed below are different important state legal guidelines taking impact Jan 1.
Taylor Swift ticket meltdown spurs trade adjustments
Minnesota is the most recent state to increase transparency when purchasing tickets to concert events, sporting occasions and different large-scale occasions.
“The Ticketing Equity Act” would require “all-in pricing” to make sure ticket patrons know the overall price of a ticket upfront. The legislation bans misleading promoting and speculative pricing. The invoice’s sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Kelly Moeller, says the inspiration for the invoice got here from her expertise in attempting to safe tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Minneapolis final summer time, widely viewed as a Ticketmaster fiasco.
The Minnesota legislation additionally bans bot companies from shopping for tickets to drive up prices. Gov. Tim Walz signed the invoice over the summer time. It follows comparable laws signed into legislation by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
Youngsters beneath 14 banned from social media
A Florida legislation that bans youngsters beneath 14 from having social media accounts, and limits 14 and 15-year-olds to accounts licensed by their dad and mom, takes impact Wednesday. Nevertheless, Social media firms could not instantly kick these children off their platforms.
Florida Lawyer Basic Ashley Moody agreed in November not to enforce the law whereas litigation is ongoing. In October, events filed a lawsuit in opposition to the Florida law saying that some states have “taken it upon themselves to limit minors’ entry to constitutionally protected speech.”
As NPR has reported, states like Florida may look to Australia to see how that nation’s new social media ban for youths beneath 16 shakes out.
California toughens penalties for retail and drug crimes
California Democrats and Republicans alike say they felt strain this yr to go a slate of new laws to stiffen penalties for retail theft and drug-related crimes.
Collectively, the laws make it easier to mixture comparable crimes in fees, even throughout jurisdictions. Additionally they make it against the law to interrupt right into a automotive, even when it is unlocked.
Democrats proposed most of the new crime legal guidelines after Proposition 36 made it to the poll. That measure strengthened penalties for drug and theft-related crimes and elevated therapy necessities. It handed in November with about 70% help.
Prenatal care depart supplied in New York
A primary within the nation, New York state will supply all private-sector pregnant workers 20 hours of paid depart a yr for prenatal care. Federal, state or native authorities staff should not entitled to the brand new depart.
The depart will be taken for monitoring, discussions with a well being care supplier wanted to make sure a wholesome being pregnant, finish of being pregnant care or fertility therapies, among other services.
Stopping compelled outing in colleges
A new California law says colleges can now not require academics to out LGBTQ+ college students to their dad and mom.
The law is in response to a number of California college districts enacting insurance policies that require academics to let dad and mom know if their little one identifies with a gender aside from what’s listed on their college report.
The brand new legislation does not forestall academics from outing college students to their dad and mom if they don’t seem to be coerced.
Iowa flat tax heralded as a mannequin
Wednesday, Iowa joins states that cost a flat particular person earnings tax. The new rate for all income taxpayers will be 3.8%.
With the addition of Iowa and Louisiana, which is adopting a 3% earnings tax within the New Yr, a complete of 14 states may have adopted flat earnings tax programs.
Iowa Democrats warn the brand new system might tank state revenues, inflicting long-term funds complications for lawmakers and probably forcing cuts to training and well being care companies that dominate the state funds.
Current projections predict a $1 billion general decline in state income over two years.
Republicans, together with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, say the tax cuts, which Republicans have implemented incrementally, are working as meant. They level out GOP lawmakers have the choice to attract from greater than $6 billion in surplus funds and different reserves to make up for income shortfalls.
Clay Masters is a senior politics reporter for Minnesota Public Radio News. Megan Myscofski is a statehouse and politics reporter at CapRadio. Grant Gerlock is a reporter at Iowa Public Radio.
