Overview
- Minimum wages rise in more than a dozen states on Jan. 1, including New York to $17 in NYC/Long Island/Westchester and $16 upstate, and Washington to $17.13, the nation’s highest.
- Hawaii increases its Transient Accommodations Tax to 11% on Jan. 1, a change state officials project will raise roughly $100 million annually for environmental and tourism initiatives.
- Several states, including Indiana, Nebraska and Iowa, will restrict SNAP purchases such as candy and sugary drinks starting Jan. 1, while new federal rules require more able-bodied adults to work or train 80 hours a month to stay eligible.
- Minnesota begins paid family and medical leave offering up to 20 weeks of benefits on Jan. 1, alongside new workplace standards that mandate a 15-minute rest break per four hours and a 30-minute meal break per six hours worked.
- Illinois requires employers to disclose AI use in hiring and bars discriminatory AI practices, Texas activates a statewide AI governance framework and mandates sheriff cooperation with ICE warrants, and New York sets a Jan. 26 deadline for delivery apps to present a gratuity option of at least 10%.