As 2025 begins, jurisdictions across the United States enact new laws that impact gun safety, healthcare, consumer privacy, and transportation.
Washington, D.C.
In the nation’s capital, insurance providers must now cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including three rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and associated costs for surrogacy. Families with children under six will benefit from a new child tax credit, offering up to $420 per child based on income.
A ‘bill of rights’ for student loan borrowers prohibits deceptive practices by loan servicers and provides debt forgiveness for individuals with total or permanent disabilities. The District has also mandated bird-friendly construction materials for new commercial and multifamily buildings to reduce avian deaths caused by building collisions.
Businesses in D.C. are now required to accept cash payments, with limited exceptions. At the same time, a ban on right turns at red lights is enforceable only at intersections with posted signage due to funding limitations.
Maryland
In Maryland, new laws emphasize worker and public safety. Stricter penalties for speeding in work zones are now fully implemented, with fines ranging from $60 to $1,000 based on the severity of the offense. Health insurers must now cover hearing aids prescribed by licensed audiologists, capped at $1,400 per device every three years. Hospitals across the state must stock opioid overdose medications, implement treatment protocols, and support patient transitions into community-based care.
Virginia
Virginia has launched a shared solar program that allows Appalachian Power customers to participate in solar energy facilities and earn bill credits. The state’s minimum wage has risen to $12.41 per hour under a cost-of-living adjustment tied to the federal consumer price index. Protections for children’s personal data now bar online vendors from using data for targeted ads or geolocation without parental consent.
Virginia will no longer adhere to California’s stricter vehicle emissions standards. Health insurers must now cover colorectal cancer screenings, including follow-up colonoscopies, without deductibles or cost-sharing.
Gun safety laws nationwide
With new laws in several states, gun safety will take center stage in 2025. In Colorado, handguns stored in unoccupied vehicles must now be locked in a hard-sided container and hidden from view, with the vehicle itself locked. Beginning July 1, applicants for concealed carry permits must complete an eight-hour training course, including a written exam and live-fire exercise. Certain misdemeanors within five years of application will disqualify individuals from obtaining permits.
In New York, gun dealers must post warning signs about the risks of gun ownership starting January 7, and the state will implement a registry for extreme risk protection orders. Minnesota has banned binary triggers, and Delaware extended its Safe School Zone laws to include university campuses, making firearm possession on campus a felony.
Monisha Henley of Everytown for Gun Safety noted the importance of these measures. “America’s gun violence epidemic is not inevitable, it is the logical outcome of lawmakers’ callous inaction in service to the gun lobby,” Henley said. “As we head into 2025, not a single consequential law rolling back our progress on gun safety will go into effect, but countless laws making our communities safer will.”
Transportation and public safety
California’s ‘Daylighting to Save Lives Bill’ bans parking within 20 feet of crosswalks to improve pedestrian visibility. Colorado has imposed stricter penalties for express lane misuse and requires individuals convicted of violent crimes to serve 85% of their sentence before parole eligibility. Washington state has enacted tougher penalties for negligent driving that results in fatalities.
Consumer privacy and protections
Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, and New Hampshire have implemented new privacy laws granting consumers greater control over their personal data. Tennessee and Florida now require minors to verify their age on social media platforms. Florida’s law includes significant penalties for violations, although parts are under legal challenge.
Other notable laws
Colorado: All eggs sold must come from cage-free facilities.
Connecticut: New minimum wage and healthcare laws take effect.
Nevada: Constitutional language updates remove outdated terms and prohibit slavery or involuntary servitude as criminal punishment.
Illinois: New laws streamline the juvenile expungement process and require autism training for law enforcement officers.
Alabama: The ‘Sound of Freedom Act’ imposes harsher sentences for human trafficking involving minors.
Florida: Social media platforms must terminate accounts of users under 14, with substantial fines for non-compliance.
