As the new year begins, several states are implementing laws that touch on key social and political issues, including gun regulations, marijuana legalization, and broader societal concerns such as wages, social media use, and healthcare. Here’s a closer look at the changes coming into effect in 2025.
Gun Laws Across the US
Many states are enacting measures aimed at curbing gun violence, while others are expanding Second Amendment rights.
- Minnesota: Starting January 1, Minnesota bans the use of binary triggers and forced reset triggers, devices that allow firearms to mimic automatic fire. This measure follows a tragic incident in Burnsville where a gun equipped with a binary trigger was used in a fatal shooting.
- Delaware: Weapons are now prohibited on university campuses, adding them to the state’s Safe School Zones.
- New York: Gun retailers will be required to post warning signs about the risks associated with firearm ownership. Additionally, the state is launching a registry for extreme risk protection orders to temporarily restrict gun ownership for individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.
- California: A new law mandates firearm dealers to provide pamphlets detailing the risks of gun ownership, including suicide and accidental deaths.
- Colorado: As of January, firearms stored in unoccupied vehicles must be locked in a hard-sided container. Later in 2025, the state will enforce stricter training requirements for concealed carry permits, including live-fire exercises and written exams.
Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization
The legalization of marijuana continues to expand in the US, with new laws going into effect in several states:
- Nebraska: Medical marijuana becomes legal, allowing residents with a healthcare provider’s recommendation to acquire up to five ounces of cannabis.
- Kentucky: Patients will now be able to purchase medical marijuana products from state-licensed dispensaries.
- Texas: Dallas decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis, but the state attorney general is challenging the measure in court.
Despite these advances, recreational marijuana initiatives failed in states like Florida, North Dakota, and Massachusetts in 2024.
Social Issues and Public Safety
States are also enacting laws that address public safety, wages, and healthcare:
- Insulin Costs: New York becomes the first state to eliminate co-pays for insulin under insurance plans, potentially saving residents millions annually.
- Minimum Wage: Workers in 21 states will see wage increases in 2025, with Washington, DC, implementing the highest minimum wage in the nation at $21.10 per hour.
- Social Media Restrictions for Minors: Florida now requires parental consent for children under 16 to create social media accounts, and children under 14 are barred from joining entirely.
- Educational Rights: In California, schools can no longer mandate teachers to disclose a student’s gender identity or pronouns to parents.
The legislation has elicited varied responses. Gun control advocates have praised the new safety measures, arguing they could save lives. Conversely, gun rights groups, including the NRA, celebrated the preservation of Second Amendment freedoms in states that resisted further restrictions.
Meanwhile, marijuana legalization advocates view the expansion of medical programs as progress, though many continue to push for broader decriminalization and recreational use measures.
The New York Times and USA Today contributed to this report.
