States nationwide will welcome the upcoming year with the implementation of laws tackling crucial matters such as gun violence, book bans, and the introduction of gender-neutral toy sections. These legislative advancements are set to take effect throughout 2024, reflecting a commitment to address critical issues and promote a more inclusive society.
Michigan to get new gun laws
Michigan’s Legislature passed a package of legislation to reduce gun violence that’s set to go into effect early this year.
The package, passed in the Democratic-controlled Legislature largely along party lines, encompasses red flag laws, stricter background checks, safe gun storage requirements, and an eight-year prohibition on individuals convicted of domestic violence from purchasing, owning, or transporting firearms.
Monisha Henley, the senior vice president of government affairs at the gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety
Henley said she believes Michigan’s new laws can serve as an example for other states, given that the state has “everything from a large city to a rural population to high gun ownership.”
SAO
Several states have new laws regulating guns.
A new law in Minnesota will enable authorities to seek court orders known as “extreme risk protection orders” to temporarily confiscate firearms from individuals considered an imminent threat to themselves or others. With this development, Minnesota becomes the 20th state to implement such a red-flag law.
Colorado is joining a group of twelve states in banning ghost guns, firearms that are assembled at home or 3D-printed without serial numbers. These practices have allowed owners to circumvent background checks, which the new law aims to address.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow an Illinois law prohibiting high-powered semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines to take effect on Monday showcases a significant development. Conversely, a California law aiming to ban the carrying of concealed guns in several public places was recently halted by a federal judge. These contrasting rulings highlight the ongoing debates surrounding gun control regulations in the United States.
TAXES AND WAGES
The new year heralds the introduction of a diverse range of laws concerning taxes and wages; enduring subjects for state governments.
More than 20 states are set to increase their minimum wages, exacerbating the disparity between state mandates and the long-standing federal minimum of $7.25 per hour, which has remained unchanged since July 2009. In multiple states, the newly established minimum wage will surpass double the current rate.
Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York City, California, and Washington will all see an increase in their minimum wages. The new rates for these states will be $15, $15.13, $15.69, $16 (in most of the state), $16, and $16.28 per hour, respectively.
Residents in certain states will receive financial benefits as they will pay fewer taxes, aligning with the ongoing three-year trend in which almost every state has taken measures to decrease, refund, or pause various types of broad-based taxes. Discover how these tax reductions can positively impact your financial well-being today.
In Kansas, families will experience a significant reduction in the sales tax on groceries, with it decreasing from 4% to 2%.
This step towards eliminating the tax altogether will result in an annual savings of $208 for a family spending an average of $200 weekly on groceries. Gee thanks alot.
About 1 million tax filers are expected to benefit from Connecticut’s first income tax rate reduction since the mid-1990s.
Lower-income workers and retirees can also expect to reap the rewards of enhanced tax breaks.
Missouri also will reduce its income tax rate while expanding tax exemptions for Social Security benefits and military training pay.
Businesses can benefit from tax credits when they hire interns or apprentices.
Alabama will exempt overtime pay from the state’s income tax, though that lasts only until June 2025 unless renewed by lawmakers.
Gender-neutral toy aisles
Starting in January, major retailers in California will be required to feature gender-neutral toy sections in their stores. These new sections must offer a “reasonable selection” of toys that can be enjoyed by children of any gender, eliminating the practice of marketing toys exclusively towards boys or girls. This move towards inclusivity aims to provide an equal and diverse toy-buying experience for all children.
The law does not mandate the removal of boy- or girl-focused toy sections within stores, but instead encourages the expansion of these sections to encompass toys that are inclusive and suitable for children of any gender.
The law, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021, is aimed specifically at retailers with at least 500 employees across their state locations, which excludes smaller stores. Retailers will be fined $250 for not following the law, followed by $500 fines for repeat offenses.
Assembly member Evan Low, a primary supporter of the bill, emphasized that this measure aims to facilitate the comparison of similar products offered by major retailers, without perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes that negatively impact vulnerable children.
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Illinois’ anti-book ban law
Illinois will be the pioneering state in enforcing a groundbreaking law against book bans. This legislation mandates the adoption of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights by the state librarian and library staff members across Illinois.
This crucial document firmly asserts that reading materials should never be proscribed or removed solely due to partisan or personal disapproval. To ensure compliance, public libraries must embrace the association’s language or establish equivalently worded prohibitions, failing which they will be deemed ineligible for state grants.
An increasing number of books have faced bans in multiple states. According to the nonprofit free speech advocacy group PEN America, they found 3,362 instances of individual books being banned during the 2022-23 school year, impacting 1,557 unique titles. This marks a 33% increase from the previous academic year. The states where these bans were most prevalent include Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina, as indicated in the group’s report.
PEN America’s report revealed that 30% of the books that were banned during the first half of the 2022-23 school year focused on race, racism, or included characters of color.
Another 26% of the banned books featured LGBTQ characters or themes. Furthermore, a broader range of titles have been impacted by bans this year — 44% of them depict violence and abuse, 38% address topics of health and well-being, and 30% delve into death and grief. These bans are a direct response from school districts to “unclear legislation,” leading to the removal of a significant number of books even before any formal review takes place, as stated in the report.
“The concept of banning books contradicts the very essence of what our country stands for,”
said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who initiated the legislation and serves as the state librarian.
“It also defies what education is all about: teaching our children to think for themselves.”
Free to dangle in Illinois.
Starting Monday, motorists in that area can now drive without the concern of being pulled over by the police simply because they have items hanging from their rearview mirror. This policy change means that items such as air fresheners, parking placards, and even dice are now allowed to be displayed without fear of retribution.
New York cracks down on ‘puppy mills’
New York state is taking a crucial step this year by implementing a ban on pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits. This progressive move aims to safeguard these animals from the distressing treatment and substandard conditions prevalent in certain commercial breeding facilities referred to as “puppy mills” by critics. It is important to note that this law does not prevent shops from featuring animals obtained from shelters, offering them for adoption and giving them a chance at finding a loving home.
Gov. Kathy Hochul proudly signed the legislation in December 2022, expressing her satisfaction with the significant strides that will be taken to reduce cruel treatment and safeguard the well-being of animals throughout the state.
Over-the-counter contraceptives
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision in July to approve the first nonprescription oral contraceptive is expected to greatly expand access to birth control in 2024 when Opill becomes available.
Additionally, some states are now allowing pharmacists to prescribe hormonal birth control, making it even easier to obtain without visiting a doctor.
Since 2016, a total of 29 states have enacted legislation permitting pharmacists to prescribe hormonal birth control methods without the need for a doctor’s involvement. This empowers individuals seeking hormonal birth control to conveniently access it without scheduling doctor’s appointments. Notably, in 2024, Rhode Island and New Jersey will join the ranks of states implementing such measures.
New laws in Montana and Nevada will provide greater access to contraceptives for individuals.
In Montana, the law ensures that insurance coverage allows for 12-month prescriptions of contraceptives. Nevada has already made contraceptive prescriptions accessible through pharmacists and permits 12-month supplies. Additionally, the government will be prohibited from imposing any limitations or requirements that hinder people’s access to birth control or reproductive health services. These legislative advancements ensure that individuals can acquire the necessary contraception and reproductive healthcare without unnecessary obstacles.
DATING and PORNOGRAPHY
Several state laws extensively address appropriate online activities. A new Connecticut law requires online dating operators to adopt policies for handling harassment reports by or between users, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all individuals involved.
A North Carolina law mandates that operators of pornographic websites verify the age of viewers using a widely accessible database, ensuring they are at least 18 years old.
The law empowers parents to take legal action against companies if their children were granted access to explicit content.
Another new Illinois law will allow lawsuits from victims of deepfake pornography, in which videos or images are manipulated without their consent.
LGBTQ+ ISSUES
Over the past few years, there has been a significant conservative effort to limit the accessibility of gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors. Currently, 22 states have implemented bans, with some jurisdictions pausing enforcement as they deliberate on the policies’ validity.
New restrictions on the availability of puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery for minors, which are not commonly performed, are set to be implemented on January 1st. Idaho, Louisiana and West Virginia.
The West Virginia law Contains an exception: Adolescents, under the condition of parental consent and an official diagnosis of severe gender dysphoria from two doctors, can still access treatment.
A law taking effect Monday in Hawaii requires new marriage certificates to be issued to people who request to change how their sex is listed.
The state also is replacing gender-specific terms in state law; “mother” is being replaced with “birthing parent” and “father” with “non-birthing parent.”
In Colorado, new buildings wholly or partly owned by government entities will be required to have on every floor where there are public restrooms at least one that does not specify the gender of the users.
The conservative push on LGBTQ+ policies also has come with efforts to keep certain books out of school or public libraries. An Indiana law taking effect makes it easier for parents and others to challenge books in school libraries. By contrast, a new Illinois law would block state funding for public libraries that ban or restrict books.
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