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HomeLocalEggs, Firearms, and Fitness: What's New in 2025 Legislation?

Eggs, Firearms, and Fitness: What’s New in 2025 Legislation?

 

New Laws Taking Effect in 2025: Eggs, Guns, and Gym Memberships


As we welcome 2025, significant changes in federal policy are expected with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

 

In addition to a lively election year, numerous states have moved ahead with their own legislative sessions, introducing new laws on various issues from egg-selling policies to penalties for severe theft crimes.

Gun safety advocates championed a series of new laws focused on educating the public about the dangers of gun ownership and promoting safe storage practices. Concurrently, several states are enacting stricter crime laws, marking a retreat from recent criminal justice reforms.

Here’s a summary of some laws that come into force on January 1, 2025:

 

 

New Firearm Laws Coming Into Effect

  • California enacted a set of laws to enhance gun safety, including a requirement for retailers to provide informational pamphlets regarding firearm ownership risks. Additionally, hate-based threats will now be considered for gun violence restraining orders.
  • Colorado will mandate that any uncovered handgun in an un occupied vehicle must be secured in a hard-sided container and the vehicle must be locked, with some exceptions. From July, individuals seeking a concealed carry permit will need to complete an eight-hour training course.
  • New Hampshire is strengthening gun rights by implementing privacy protections related to gun laws, preventing the use of specific merchant code categories. The state prohibits employers from restricting employees from storing firearms in locked cars, effective January 1.

 

Diverse Approaches to Public Safety Laws Amid Declining Crime Rates

 

  • California will implement stricter sentences for organized “smash-and-grab” theft.
  • New Hampshire‘s bail reform will allow some suspects to be held longer, with the majority of the bill effective January 1.
  • Washington will introduce stricter penalties for negligent driving, particularly in fatal incidents.
  • Illinois mandates that police receive training in autism awareness, requires representation from program participants on the Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board, and streamlines the juvenile criminal record expungement process.
  • Missouri is renewing a law from 2012 concerning criminal expungement, allowing for an increased number of expungements to be sought.

Florida’s Social Media Restrictions for Minors Amid Ongoing Legal Challenges

A controversial new bill in Florida will prohibit individuals under 14 from creating social media accounts, taking the place of a previous measure that Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed, advocating instead for greater parental involvement.

 

Social media platforms must disable accounts that are suspected to belong to users under 14. Account holders will have a 90-day window to challenge this decision. For those aged 14 or 15, a parent or guardian must provide consent within 90 days.

 

The legislation introduces substantial fines and civil liabilities for social media companies that knowingly breach this law. However, enforcement of the social media provisions has been postponed until judicial review regarding a request for preliminary injunction. A hearing is scheduled for late February.

Additionally, any website featuring “materials harmful to minors,” such as sexually explicit content, will need to implement age verification to restrict access to users under 18. Non-compliance will also incur heavy fines, effective January 1.

 

Tennessee is also slated to enforce a similar law on January 1.

New Law Updates on Eggs, Gym Memberships, and Pets

Illinois is put into place a new law aimed at simplifying the process for residents.

A new law, House Bill 4911, has been enacted this summer. This law enables individuals to terminate their gym memberships through email or their gym’s website.

Pennsylvania is set to join over 35 other states in safeguarding pets during domestic violence incidents. This new legislation will empower judges to prevent defendants from owning, abusing, or harming the pets of victims. The law is scheduled to become effective on January 17, 2025.

 

Beginning January 1, all eggs sold in Colorado must originate from cage-free facilities. This legislation was enacted back in 2020, following pressure from an animal rights organization that threatened to propose a ballot measure if lawmakers did not act. Additionally, egg producers in Colorado with over 3,000 hens are required to provide cage-free environments.

Voters in Nevada approved two ballot initiatives that will amend the language in the Nevada Constitution. Changes will include replacing terms referring to individuals with disabilities, such as changing “Insane” to “persons with significant mental illness,” “blind” to “persons who are blind or visually impaired,” and “deaf and dumb” to “persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.” Additionally, the new legislation will remove all references that permit slavery and involuntary servitude as criminal penalties.