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Intro New rules for artificial intelligence are changing how people apply for jobs, get loans, and protect themselves from fake online versions of real professionals. What Changed By 2025, every state and territory had proposed laws about AI. Thirty-eight states passed around a hundred of them. Now job seekers can sometimes ask for an explanation if a computer rejects them, but that right depends on where they live. Borrowers denied credit by an algorithm might have to go to

Intro California is taking direct aim at legacy and donor preferences in college admissions. For first generation and low-income students, this is meant to remove one tilted piece of the playing field. What Changed Beginning in September 2025, private nonprofit colleges in California are barred from giving preference to applicants because of family ties or donations. Admissions offices must remove legacy and donor status from the factors they consider. Students whose parents

Intro The WIC program is a lifeline for millions of new parents and young children, but when government money stops, so does the help. What Changed With the shutdown starting on October 1, WIC funding is running on fumes. States only have a small reserve, and once it’s gone, families stop getting formula, cereal, and fruit vouchers. The hardest hit are parents with newborns who rely on monthly EBT reloads and those caring for infants with medical diets. Grocery stores that ac

Intro When protections for sharing cyber-attack data expire, everyone feels it from hospitals to power plants to the families who rely on them. What Changed The law that shielded companies when they shared cyber-threat information with the government expired right as the shutdown began. With most cyber staff on leave, fewer analysts were around to help coordinate warnings. Hospitals, city utilities, and small-town governments are now slower to report intrusions for fear of la

Intro When the government closes, federal employees usually get paid later, but contractors often don’t and that’s a big problem for a lot of people. What Changed The bill would pay back wages to both federal workers and contractors during shutdowns. If it becomes law, janitors, cooks, guards, and call-center agents who keep federal buildings running would finally get pay for the days they couldn’t work. For now, most of them still go unpaid if Congress stalls. Families relyi

Intro A House vote to increase penalties for illegal entry has big consequences for families near the border and those hoping to seek asylum. What Changed The House passed H.R. 3486 by a narrow margin. It would increase punishment for crossing without permission or re-entering after removal. That means more people could face criminal charges instead of civil hearings. For families traveling together, that raises the chance of separation. For local defenders and court interpre

Intro The idea of banning noncompete contracts is dead for now, leaving millions of workers stuck where they are. What Changed After courts blocked its rule, the FTC gave up defending its nationwide noncompete ban. That means whether you can change jobs freely still depends on your state. Nurses, hairstylists, software engineers, and salespeople in strict-rule states can’t switch employers without risking lawsuits. In freer states, workers have more options and higher raises.

Intro Florida is taking another scheduled step toward a higher minimum wage. For workers in tourism, retail, and food service, this is one more raise built into the state’s long term plan. What Changed On September 30 2025, Florida’s minimum wage is set to rise to 14.00 dollars per hour. This follows the voter approved path toward a 15.00 dollar minimum in future years. Every hour at the legal floor now brings in more pay, which can ease pressure on rent and basic bills. Empl

Intro Mail costs went up again, and that’s affecting small sellers, seniors, and anyone who still relies on the post office. What Changed The price of a Forever stamp climbed from 73 cents to 78. People who send rent checks or birthday cards notice right away. Small businesses that ship handmade goods or invoices are feeling the pinch too. Nonprofits that raise money through mail campaigns are trimming their budgets. Rural towns, where mailing is still the main way to handle

Intro A giant new law touches nearly everyone: taxpayers, retirees, parents, and people who use federal aid programs. What Changed The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” made sweeping changes to tax and spending policy. For ordinary workers, the bigger standard deduction means a little more take-home pay. For seniors, there’s a new tax break that saves a few hundred dollars a year. But families on programs like food assistance or housing help are waiting to see if new income rules

Intro Investors in rural Opportunity Zones just got a lower bar for how much they must spend to upgrade properties. For small towns trying to attract development, that change could decide whether a project moves forward. What Changed The substantial improvement threshold for property in rural Qualified Opportunity Zones drops from 100 percent of the property’s basis to 50 percent. In simple terms, investors no longer have to double their investment to qualify for the tax bene

Intro Oregon already ties its minimum wage to where a person works, and another round of increases is landing. For workers near the edge of different regions, the location of the job can change their pay. What Changed On July 1, 2025, Oregon’s regionally based minimum wage system raises pay again, with different rates depending on the area. The law continues to treat Portland, standard counties, and lower cost regions differently. Employees doing the same job for the same com