Illinois residents can now freely display fuzzy dice in their vehicles.
Beginning Monday, Illinois law enforcement will no longer have the authority to pull over drivers solely for displaying items hanging from their rearview mirrors. This includes air fresheners, parking permits, and even fuzzy dice.
This revision to the Illinois windshield regulation is just one of many new laws taking effect across the United States with the start of the new year. While some laws may appear mundane, others have significant practical implications or address contentious topics such as firearm restrictions and healthcare access for transgender individuals.
Although the initial intention of the Illinois windshield law was to enhance road safety, it became perceived by some as a pretext for traffic stops. The updated law maintains the prohibition of objects that obstruct a driver’s view but prohibits law enforcement from initiating stops or searches based solely on suspected violations of this provision.
Democratic state Sen. Christopher Belt, one of the bill’s sponsors, stated, “With this new law, we are sending a powerful message that the state does not tolerate racial profiling or other forms of discrimination.”
Additionally, a new law in Illinois aims to curb a contemporary type of distracted driving by banning individuals from engaging in video conferences or browsing social media while operating a vehicle.
Guns and Pornography
Various states have enacted new laws concerning firearms and online behavior.
In Minnesota, a new law permits authorities to petition courts for “extreme risk protection orders,” enabling temporary confiscation of firearms from individuals deemed an imminent threat to themselves or others. This law positions Minnesota as at least the 20th state to implement such red-flag legislation.
Colorado joins a dozen states in prohibiting “ghost guns,” firearms assembled at home or 3D-printed without serial numbers, thus circumventing background checks.
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed an Illinois law banning high-powered semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines to take effect, while a federal judge halted a similar California law restricting concealed carry in public places.
Regarding online activities, Connecticut mandates online dating platforms to establish policies for handling harassment reports. Meanwhile, a North Carolina law requires pornographic websites to verify viewers’ age using commercial databases, allowing parents to sue companies if minors access explicit content. In Illinois, a new law permits victims of deepfake pornography—manipulated images or videos—to file lawsuits.
LGBTQ+ Issues
In recent years, there has been a significant conservative-led effort to limit transgender minors’ access to gender-affirming treatments. Bans have been enacted in 22 states, although enforcement has been temporarily halted in some jurisdictions pending legal challenges.
Scheduled to take effect on January 1st, new bans in Idaho, Louisiana, and West Virginia will restrict minors’ access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and, in rare cases, surgery. The West Virginia law includes an exception allowing teens to access treatment with parental consent and a diagnosis of severe gender dysphoria from two doctors.
While Republican-led legislatures have implemented restrictions, many Democrat-dominated states have responded by enacting transgender protections.
Starting Monday, Hawaii will enforce a law requiring the issuance of new marriage certificates upon request to individuals seeking to change their listed sex. Additionally, the state is revising gender-specific terms in its laws, replacing “mother” with “birthing parent” and “father” with “non-birthing parent.”
In Colorado, new government-owned buildings must provide at least one gender-neutral restroom on every floor with public restrooms.
The conservative push on LGBTQ+ policies has also prompted efforts to regulate book selections in schools and libraries. In Indiana, a new law facilitates challenges to books in school libraries. Conversely, a new Illinois law prohibits state funding for public libraries that restrict or ban books.
Taxes and Wages
The arrival of the new year heralds a multitude of new laws addressing taxes and wages—long-standing concerns for state governments.
Over 20 states are increasing minimum wages for workers, significantly surpassing the federal minimum, stagnant at $7.25 an hour since July 2009. In some states, the new minimum wage will more than double this rate.
Maryland will implement a $15 per hour minimum wage, while in New Jersey, it will be $15.13 for most employees. Connecticut will set it at $15.69 per hour, and New York City at $16 per hour, with most of the rest of the state at $15. California’s statewide minimum wage will also rise to $16 per hour, and Washington’s minimum rate will be $16.28.
Residents in certain states will experience financial relief through reduced tax burdens, continuing a three-year trend of tax reductions, rebates, or suspensions in nearly every state.
Kansas will lower the sales tax on groceries from 4% to 2%, moving towards eventual elimination, saving a family spending an average of $200 weekly on groceries approximately $208 annually.
Connecticut anticipates approximately 1 million tax filers benefiting from its first income tax rate reduction since the mid-1990s, with lower-income workers and retirees also gaining from expanded tax breaks.
Missouri will reduce its income tax rate while broadening tax exemptions for Social Security benefits and military training pay. Businesses will gain tax credits for hiring interns or apprentices.
Alabama will exempt overtime pay from the state’s income tax, effective until June 2025 unless renewed by lawmakers.
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