New laws in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. go into effect on July 1, legislating on artificial intelligence, data centers, health care and more.
Dozens of new laws will take effect in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. on Tuesday, July 1.
The legislation deals with education, health care and other topics that impact D.C.-area residents daily.
Many of the incoming laws take on rapidly developing technology, such as artificial intelligence. Legislators have also attempted to tackle how technology impacts kids with new rules on phones in schools and compensating child influencers.
Here’s a look at some of the legislation taking effect on July 1:
Virginia
Child influencers: Parents or guardians who are making money off content online that involves kids will have to set earnings aside for those children in a trust account. Those child influencers will get access to the money when they turn 18.
Vaping ban for those under 21: People under the age of 21 can’t have products intended for smoking tobacco or hemp.
Cocktails-to-go: The law makes a previous policy permanent that allows restaurants and other licensed businesses to deliver wine, beer and cocktails to-go through third-party deliver providers.
School cellphones bans: Already, Virginia school systems have been enforcing the bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions after Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order last summer. But after July 1, schools boards will officially need to create policies that limit students’ cellphone use. There will be exceptions made for kids who have disabilities or language barriers that would benefit from having access to their cellphones during the school day.
Nazi graffiti: Vandalizing property with a Nazi symbol, such as a Nazi swastika, with the intention to intimidate, will be a Class 6 felony. The law can apply to private property as well as highways or public places.
Pregnancy: Up to 10 visits with a doula will be covered by Medicaid under one law. Another requires hospitals to allow doulas and companions during childbirth when the person’s partner isn’t present.
Breast cancer screenings: Puts the cost of certain exams to screen for breast cancer on the insurance company, not the patient.
Maryland
Tech tax: Applies a 3% sales tax on lots of technology services like cloud storage, data processing and cryptocurrency mining. WTOP’s partners at Maryland Matters report it’s expected to raise $500 million as part of $1.6 billion in new taxes and fees approved for fiscal 2026.
Tenant bill of rights: Landlords will have to attach a “bill of rights” to every residential lease that sums up what tenants should know about their legal protections.
AI revenge porn: Specifies that a “visual representation” of a person made with AI could be considered revenge porn. Those victimized by those images can file a civil suit.
Bitcoin ATMs: Puts a system in place to register virtual currency kiosks — which are also referred to as Bitcoin ATMs — to buy or sell cryptocurrency.
Changes to GED test: The test adults can take to get their high school diploma will now be offered in Spanish, as well as English. The Maryland Department of Labor will also be looking into offering the General Educational Development Test in other languages too.
Health care for young people: An existing program that helps subsidize health care for young people will go forward, for now. Young residents who meet the income requirements can save by enrolling in the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.
FBI headquarters: Funding for a potential new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt is slated in the state budget. The state would put $200,000 redeveloping the site and improving its infrastructure if the FBI opts to move.
DC
Minimum wage increase: Minimum wage workers will see a bump on their next paycheck — the District is rising the minimum wage from $17.50 to $17.95. Earlier this month, the D.C. Council voted to pause the planned increase of the tipped minimum wage in the city, which would have taken effect July 1.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story included a bill that would have called for a commission to study of historic inequality endured by African descendants in Maryland. Gov. Wes Moore vetoed the legislation, known as the reparations bill, in May. It’s also clarified the planned raise of the tipped minimum wage in D.C. has been paused.
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