As we ring in the new year, there are a number of new laws that will go into effect throughout the region come January 1, 2025.
Here's a look at some of the new legislation for 2025.
PENNSYLVANIA
Wage increase for elected officials
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Pennsylvania's $7.25 an hour minimum wage hasn't increased since 2009. That's no increase in the state's minimum wage in 15 years.
Yet, as noted by the Associated Press, in 2025, "lawmakers, judges and top executive branch officials will get a heftier salary increase in 2025 than the average Pennsylvanian saw over the past 12 months."
A new law will see, the Associated Press claimed, "more than 1,300 officials — including Gov. Josh Shapiro, all 253 lawmakers and all seven state Supreme Court justices" get a pay increase of about 3.4% in 2025.
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Pennsylvania's Safe Haven law -- which has been around for over two decades -- has long provided those in need a safe and legal way to surrender an unwanted child at police stations, hospitals, fire departments and other emergency service locations across the state.
A new law will now allow parents to drop off babies at urgent care providers within the first 28 days of a child's life.
PTSD compensation for first responders
A new law that goes into effect in 2025 will update the state's Worker's Compensation Act to allow first responders to apply for compensation in the event of a post-traumatic stress injury.
The bill notes that this regulation will take effect one year after it was approved in October of 2024.
Access to biomarker testing for cancer
Pennsylvania citizens will have an increased ability to receive biomarker testing for cancer under new legislation that ensures the testing is covered by more insurance plans, including Medicare, for those who need it.
The American Cancer Society claims that this type of testing helps save lives, noting, "patients with certain lung cancer types who received biomarker testing and then a targeted therapy saw a 31% reduction in risk of death."
NEW JERSEY
Pennsylvania residents might go another year without seeing an increase to the minimum wage, but across the Delaware River in New Jersey, minimum wage will increase incrementally to $15.49 an hour.
In 2019, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to provide the regular increases to the minimum wage. Last year, New Jersey's minimum wage was $15.13 an hour. Increases are set to continue through 2028.
Protecting the 'Freedom to Read'
In an effort to protect the rights of students, parents, and communities to have free access to age-appropriate books and learning materials at schools and public libraries and to prevent, what the Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called "arbitrary book banning," Murphy signed the Freedom to Read act.
As noted in a statement when the act was signed, the legislation requires local school boards and governing bodies of public libraries to establish policies for curation and removal of library materials, including a system of review to address concerns over library materials.
The Freedom to Read Act also provides protections for library staff members against civil and criminal lawsuits related to complying with this law, Murphy's office said in a statement on the legislation.
New legislation in New Jersey is, according to the Office of Gov. Murphy, intended to help New Jersey families avoid falling into medical debt and protect individuals from predatory medical debt collectors.
This bill prohibits a medical creditor or medical debt collector from reporting a patient’s medical debt to any consumer reporting agency for health care services performed on or after the effective date of the bill.
It also prohibits a medical creditor or medical debt collector from making a consumer report containing a patient’s paid medical debt or a medical debt worth less than $500, charging an interest rate on a medical debt of more than 3% per year, garnishing the wages of a patient with an annual income of less than 600% of the federal poverty level to collect medical debt and engaging in any collection actions against a patient until 120 days after the first bill for a medical debt has been sent or against a patient who accepts and complies with the terms of a reasonable payment plan.
Making outdoor dining permissions permanent
Gov. Phil Murphy has signed legislation that will remove an expiration date on permissions that allow restaurants and certain alcoholic beverage retailers and manufacturers to offer outdoor dining within designated outdoor space or on public sidewalk.
These permissions were set to expire in November of 2024, but this new law will allow any establishment that holds a temporary permit for outdoor dining to convert it into a permanent one.
DELAWARE
Another state neighboring Pennsylvania will see minimum wage increases in 2025 when, on Jan. 1, Delaware's minimum wage will increase from $13.35 an hour to an even $15 an hour.
New legislation in Delaware will require all health benefit plans delivered or issued for Medicaid, private health insurance plans, and state employee insurance plans to cover services related to the termination of pregnancy.
In a statement on the legislation, Democratic lawmakers in Delaware said that Medicaid would be required to cover up to $750 for services related to the termination of pregnancy.
"The bill would place similar requirements on private individual and group health insurance plans regulated by the state," legislators said in a statement.
Along with this measure, lawmakers in Delaware have also created legislation that requires public universities to provide access to medication for the termination of pregnancy and emergency contraception.
Delaware is working toward paid leave for employees who need support during a health or family event. But, the program won't go into full effect until 2026.
But, with the change into 2025, employers in the state’s plan will see payroll deductions begin if employees are contributing to the cost of Delaware Paid Leave.
On Jan. 1, 2026, employees can begin submitting claims for paid leave payment.
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