New laws in Virginia, DC, Maryland take effect in the new year
A slew of new laws will go into effect in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. on New Year’s Day.
Health, social media and paychecks are among the topics addressed in the wide range of legislation that hits the books on Jan. 1, 2026.
Here a few of the new laws beginning in the new year:
Virginia
You can find details on any Virginia laws on the state law portal.
Kids get social media limits
Is a break from social media on your list of New Year’s resolutions? Virginia has banned kids under 16 from using social media for more than one hour a day, under the Consumer Data Protection Act.
The law allows parents to adjust that daily limit as they see fit. Some exceptions to the law include platforms that are mostly used for email or direct messaging, streaming services and news sites.
Social media companies are required to accurately verify a young person’s age under the new law. And companies are not allowed to use the age information for anything else.
There are questions about the law’s practicality and whether it will be effective, including from Jennifer Golbeck, a professor at the University of Maryland’s College of Information, who said it’s unclear whether the law will have its intended effect.
Solicitors’ repeated texts
There may be an avenue to reel in unwanted texts or calls from solicitors under the Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act.
If you reply to a solicitor’s text with “UNSUBSCRIBE” or “STOP,” they are required by law to listen.
In fact, the seller won’t be allowed to reach back out to you for at least 10 years after being told to stop.
Ignoring requests to stop contact could land a solicitor with a fine, which increases with each violation.
Toxic metal in baby food
Baby food sold in Virginia needs to be tested for toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury.
The law bans the sale or distribution of products that exceed limits on toxic heavy metals, set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Baby Food Protection Act also requires information about toxic heavy metals to be listed on the manufacturer’s website and on the product itself. Consumers can report baby food that they believe violates the FDA limits.
Coverage for breast exams, prostate cancer screenings
Beginning on Jan. 1, insurance companies can’t charge patients for diagnostic or follow-up breast examinations, under HB 1828. The bill requires insurance providers to cover the cost of certain mammograms, MRIs and ultrasounds.
Similarly, Virginia also updated the coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings through SB 1314. Insurance companies will need to cover the cost of updated tests for prostate cancer for men over the age of 50 or high-risk men age 40 or older.
Minimum wage bump
Minimum wage is going up to $12.77 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2026.
That’s a jump of 36 cents from the current minimum wage of $12.41 per hour. State law mandates that the wage will incrementally increase until it reaches $15 per hour in 2028.
Beginning in January 2029, the minimum wage will be adjusted based off increases in the consumer price index.
Unemployment benefits
Those on unemployment will see a bump in their weekly benefits. The payments will go up by $52 from the existing rate.
Maryland
The Maryland General Assembly has an outline of new laws for 2026 online. Here’s a breakdown of a few notable laws.
Tax protections for homeowners and heirs
A revision to the state’s tax code looks to protect homeowners and heirs who owe sales taxes on a property. Counties will be required to withhold certain properties where heirs live from unpaid sales tax.
Maryland extended the period of time between a warning and when a property is sold for unpaid property taxes. It’s also creating a statewide registry for heirs.
Anesthesia coverage
No one wants to wake up to a surprise medical bill. Maryland has banned time limits on the delivery of anesthesia to patients when its recommended by a medical professional.
That means if your insurance agrees to cover anesthesia, they have to provide coverage for the entire medical procedure, according to the law.
It applies to groups that provide medical coverage, such as the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, managed care organizations, certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans and health maintenance organizations.
Domestic violence awareness for cosmetologists
Hairdressers, nail techs and other cosmetologists in Maryland are being required to take a new type of training that’s centered around looking out for clients who may be facing abuse at home.
Cosmetologists will be required to take training on domestic violence awareness as a requirement to maintain their license starting Jan. 1.
The lessons will go over how to spot signs of domestic violence and ways to talk things through with a client who may be in need of help.
Cancer screenings for firefighters
Counties that offer self-insured employee health benefit plans have to cover the cost of preventive cancer screenings for firefighters. Those firefighters who qualify won’t have to pay for those screenings.
The James “Jimmy” Malone Act also requires the Maryland Health Commission to study the impact of increasing access to cancer screenings
Pediatric hospitals
Insurance providers cannot require prior authorization for a child to be transferred to a pediatric hospital, under this Maryland law. The same rules go for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children’s Health Program.
DC
D.C.’s full library of laws can be accessed online.
Criminal records
There are new rules in D.C. that call for automatic expungements in certain scenarios, under a provision of the Second Chance Amendment Act.
Starting in the new year, any qualifying case will be automatically expunged within 90 days.
The change applies to cases where the charge has been legalized or found unconstitutional.
For certain misdemeanors that do not end in a conviction, the records will be automatically sealed.
If a person is convicted, the record will be sealed automatically, 10 years after the completed sentence. There are exceptions under the law. Violent crimes, sexual abuse and driving under the influence are among the misdemeanor charges that do not qualify.
Health care for low income residents
Under the 2026 fiscal year budget, low income residents will see changes to their health care coverage starting Jan. 1, 2026. The budget changed the eligibility requirement for Medicaid, tightening the income requirement for childless adults and adult caregivers.
Those low-income residents who are no longer eligible for Medicaid could be moved to a Basic Health Plan, administered by D.C. Some services covered by Medicaid are not covered under the Basic Health Plan, including dental and vision for adults.
Ambulance fees
The District is raising the cap for the cost of being transported by an ambulance — a cost it says will mostly fall on insurance companies, not patients.
Fees will increase from $1,750 to $2,000 for patients on life support. Any patient who is transported in an ambulance is charged by ground transport mileage; that rate is increasing from $26.25 to $30 per loaded mile.
For the most part, D.C. Fire and EMS says insurance should cover ambulance bills in most cases. The fees help offset taxes related to funding EMS services, according to the department’s website.