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 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 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 Kids who don’t have steady internet at home just lost a key way to stay connected. What Changed The Senate voted to undo an FCC rule that let schools use federal funds to lend Wi-Fi hotspots to students. That means the loan programs that helped kids do homework or join class online will shrink or stop. Families in rural towns and low-income neighborhoods are hit first. Teachers are cutting back online assignments. Parents are back to driving kids to library parking lots

Intro More Americans signed up for health coverage than ever before, which is good news for families who’ve struggled to afford care. What Changed This year, over 24 million people got health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. For many, it means finally having a regular doctor or being able to afford prescriptions. For others, it’s their first time with coverage since losing Medicaid. Navigators and call-center workers have been flooded with questions, esp

Intro TikTok’s future now feels uncertain for everyone who uses it to earn money or stay visible. Creators, small stores, and ad buyers are all wondering what comes next. What Changed The Supreme Court said the U.S. government can require TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell its American branch or face a ban. That means the app could change hands within months. Influencers who built full-time careers making videos there are losing sponsorships as brands move budgets to

Intro Medicare started paying doctors a little less this year, and it’s making life harder for both patients and clinics, especially in small towns. What Changed Doctor payments through Medicare dropped about three percent as last year’s small boost expired. For big hospital systems it’s annoying, but for solo and rural doctors, it’s serious. Some are cutting hours. Some won’t take new Medicare patients at all. Older people in small towns now drive an hour for a check-up that

Intro Workers who make chips, build factories, drive trucks, or teach trade skills are seeing changes near Sherman, Texas, and Lehi, Utah. The new chip-making push is reshaping those towns fast. What Changed The federal government committed $1.61 billion to Texas Instruments to support three chip plants, two in Sherman and one in Lehi. Construction workers, electricians, welders, engineers, and mechanics are being hired in waves. New apartments and stores are going up, too. L

Intro A rule from 2024 that was supposed to give more people overtime pay got stopped in court. Folks earning just above the line for overtime had waited months to see what would happen, and now they’re stuck in limbo again. What Changed Two Texas courts threw out big pieces of the Labor Department’s overtime update, one ruling in early November, another in mid-December. That update would have raised the cutoff for who qualifies for extra pay when they work long weeks. With t