A wide range of new state laws will come into force across the United States in 2026, touching nearly every part of daily life, from pay and workplace rights to housing conditions, health care costs, data privacy and artificial intelligence. While, the details differ from state to state, the changes tell us how states are increasingly shaping policy as federal action remains limited. Here are the major changes that are set to take place in 2026:
Oregon, Georgia and Colorado
In Oregon and Washington, new rules will change how striking workers receive benefits. Oregon is implementing updates related to strike benefits and the timing of payments, Washington will expand unemployment benefit eligibility for workers on strike and revise waiting-period requirements.
Georgia will see a new pesticide limited-liability law take effect on January 1, 2026. The measure limits certain legal claims against manufacturers when products meet federal labeling standards.
In Colorado, a major artificial intelligence law is scheduled to begin in mid-2026. The Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act will place risk-based responsibilities on developers and users of “high-risk” AI systems, requiring impact assessments, documentation and safeguards to prevent discrimination.
Texas, Kentucky and Indiana
Texas is also entering the AI regulation space. Starting January 1, 2026, the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act will prohibit certain uses of AI, including discriminatory applications. It will establish an AI advisory council, create a regulatory sandbox and introduce transparency rules for some government uses of AI.
In Kentucky, the Consumer Data Protection Act becomes effective on January 1, 2026. The law gives consumers rights to access, correct and delete personal data, while allowing businesses a permanent “cure” period to fix alleged violations before penalties apply.
Indiana will implement its Consumer Data Protection Act on the same date. The law grants consumers the right to access, correct, delete and opt out of certain data processing practices. It applies to businesses that meet specific data-handling thresholds and will be enforced by the state attorney general.
Minnesota, Illinois and Florida
Minnesota is clarifying and strengthening worker protections. New rules will spell out when meal and rest breaks must be paid, reinforce employee access to restrooms and align local sick-and-safe-time rules with the state-wide Earned Sick and Safe Time law.
In Illinois, several laws focused on worker rights, safety and consumer protection will take effect. Public schools must allow attendance and participation regardless of a student’s actual or perceived immigration status, with limits on sharing such information.
Employees will gain job-protected leave for neonatal intensive care unit care, paid pumping breaks for nursing workers and expanded organ-donation leave that includes part-time employees. The state is also eliminating waiting periods for filing missing-person reports, tightening safe gun storage rules, removing time limits for prosecuting certain trafficking crimes involving minors, expanding protections against coerced debt and clarifying eviction rules to protect minors wrongly named in cases.
Florida will introduce new disclosure rules for pet insurance providers, requiring clearer explanations of how claims decisions are made. The state will also create a public animal cruelty offenders registry, ensure full coverage of certain diagnostic breast exams for employees in state health plans, and roll out additional technical changes related to taxes and benefits administration.
New York and California
In New York, minimum wages will rise in certain regions of the state. The state is also reforming penalties for street vendors, strengthening protections for delivery workers through pay transparency and standardized tipping rules for some online orders, and adjusting paid sick leave requirements. Other changes include revisions to the driver penalty points system and expanded enforcement against immigration services fraud.
California is set for one of the broadest sets of changes. The minimum wage will increase to $16.90 per hour on January 1, 2026, affecting salary thresholds for exempt workers. The state is expanding Cal-WARN rules for mass layoffs and relocations, capping insulin copays at $35 per month for many state-regulated plans and rolling out lower-cost CalRx insulin.
New oversight rules will require private equity and hedge fund investors in health care to file disclosures. Landlords will be required to provide working stoves and refrigerators in rental units, while loopholes in the plastic bag ban will be closed. California will also ban most non-medical cat declawing, require clearer identification for law enforcement officers, restrict face coverings in certain situations and phase in new AI transparency and child-safety rules.
