Positive Legislation Recently Introduced Across the U.S.
Positive legislation across the U.S. to keep an eye on.
Federal
Addressing rising grocery costs and affordability.
House Resolution 1788 (“The Fair Grocery Pricing Act”), introduced by Democratic Representative Maxwell Frost (FL), would make it illegal for companies to use digital tools to share pricing or supply information that leads to price-fixing, stop companies from using algorithms to coordinate prices and supply, and ensure people get their day in court against companies if they believe they are working together to keep prices high.Protecting sensitive locations from ICE raids.
House Resolution 5166 (the “Protecting Sensitive Locations Act”), introduced by a slate of Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate, would prohibit immigration enforcement (ICE) actions within 1,000 feet of a sensitive location “except in exigent circumstances.”
Alaska
Creating a “homeless bill of rights.”
Senate Bill 119, introduced by Democratic state Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, would expand protections against discrimination for homeless individuals in the state.The bill’s text reads: “A person may not deny another person, based on race, religion, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or housing status.”
Arkansas
Amending the state constitution to abolish slavery.
House Joint Resolution 1002, introduced by Democratic state Representative Jay Richardson, would give voters the opportunity to vote whether to fully abolish slavery in the state by amending the state constitution to remove the exception that allows slavery as punishment for a crime.
California
Restricting local police from assisting ICE near certain sensitive locations.
Assembly Bill 421, introduced by Democratic Assemblymember José Solache Jr., would “prohibit California law enforcement agencies from collaborating with, or providing any information in writing, verbally, on in any other manner to, immigration authorities regarding proposed or currently underway immigration enforcement actions when the actions could be or are taking place within a radius of one mile of any childcare or daycare facility, religious institution, place of worship, hospital, or medical office.”Increasing pay for incarcerated firefighters.
Assembly Bill 247, introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, would amend Section 4019.2 of the Penal Code to require that incarcerated firefighters be paid an hourly wage equal to the lowest non-incarcerated firefighter in the state.Allowing wildfire victims to sue oil companies.
Senate Bill 222, introduced by Democratic state Senator Scott Wiener, would allow California residents impacted by wildfires and other climate-related disasters to sue oil companies.
Connecticut
Increasing parents’ access to diapers.
House Bill 6397, introduced by Democratic state Representative Tammy Exum, would expand Medicaid coverage to include diapers for children from birth to age 3.Expanding access to affordable childcare.
House Bill 5003, introduced by the state Committee on Children, would build upon Public Act 24-91 (passed in 2024) by expanding eligibility for the childcare subsidy program, increasing educator pay, and offering grants to increase the number of childcare facilities in the state.Banning pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits.
House Bill 5112, introduced by Democratic state Representative Amy Morrin Bello, would ban pet stores in the state from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits.Banning LGBTQ+ discrimination in longterm care facilities.
House Bill 6913, introduced by the Connecticut state legislature's Aging Committee, would prohibit discrimination towards residents based on their sexuality, gender identity or HIV status while living in long-term care facilities.
Delaware
Requiring funding so that migrant students’ educational needs are met.
House Bill 44, introduced by Democratic state Representative Sean Lynn, would require the state to have a migrant education program to ensure that migrant children’s educational needs are met.Establishing an Office of Suicide Prevention.
House Bill 54, introduced by Democratic state Representative Eric Morrison, would establish an Office of Suicide Prevention. (Delaware is currently the only state in the country without one.)Offering new legal avenues for wrongfully convicted individuals.
Senate Bill 58, introduced by Democratic state Senator Kyra Hoffner , would create a formal process for individuals to challenge their convictions when forensic evidence used in their cases has been discredited or when new scientific findings emerge.Enshrining reproductive rights in the state constitution.
Senate Bill 5, introduced by Democratic state Senator Bryan Townsend, would enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution via a constitutional amendment.
Florida
Providing universal free breakfast and lunch meals to all public school students.
Senate Bill 74, introduced by Democratic state Senator Lori Berman, would establish a program to provide universal free school breakfast and lunch meals to all public school students in the state.Establishing rights for incarcerated people.
House Bill 185, introduced by Democratic state Representative Dianne “Ms Dee” Hart, would establish rights for incarcerated people, including the right to proper ventilation, sufficient meal time, adequate food supply in case of emergency, necessary health supplies, necessary PPE equipment, necessary health products (including, but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons, soap, and toothpaste, upon request), and the right to file a grievance if any of the aforementioned rights are denied by correctional staff.
Illinois
Decriminalizing sex work and creating a sex workers’ bill of rights.
House Bill 3518, introduced by Democratic state Senator Celina Villanueva, would decriminalize consensual sex work and create a sex worker’s bill of rights.Banning vehicle searches on the basis of the smell of cannabis.
Senate Bill 42, introduced by Democratic state Senator Rachel Ventura, would stop police from searching a vehicle based on the smell of burnt or raw cannabis for people 21 and older.Prohibiting copays for sexual assault exams.
House Bill 2805, introduced by Republican state Representative Tony McCombie, would prohibit health insurance companies from charging a copay for sexual assault exams.
Indiana
Ending the rape kit backlog.
House Bill 1413, introduced by Republican state Representative Becky Cash, would establish a $2.5 million fund to address the backlog of rape kits in the state.Ending tax breaks for non-profit hospitals that overcharge patients.
House Bill 1004, introduced by Republican state Representative Martin Carbaugh, would strip non-profit hospitals of their tax-free status if they continue to charge commercially insured patients more than 200% of what the federal government pays for the same services under Medicare.
Kansas
Increasing the minimum wage to $15/hour.
House Bill 2151, introduced by a slate of Democratic state Representatives, would increase the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour.
Kentucky
Amending the state constitution to abolish slavery.
House Bill 121, introduced by Democratic state Representative George Brown Jr., would would allow voters the chance to decide on a constitutional amendment to change the language within the Kentucky state constitution to outlaw slavery as punishment for a crime.
Nevada
Creating a registry of individuals repeatedly convicted of domestic violence.
Assembly Bill 162 (“Alessandra’s Law”), introduced by Republican Assembly member Thaddeus Yurek, would create a public, searchable database of individuals with multiple domestic violence convictions.Making IVF a right under state law.
Senate Bill 217, introduced by a group of Democratic state Senators, would make IVF a right under state law and enhance protections for fertility treatment providers.Restricting ICE’s access to schools.
Assembly Bill 217, introduced by Democratic Assembly member Cecelia González, would prohibit school districts and public schools from granting ICE officers access to school grounds or student records without a lawful court order or warrant.
New Mexico
Introducing a constitutional amendment to outlaw slavery in the state.
House Joint Resolution 15, introduced by Democratic state Representative Roybal Caballero, would allow voters the chance to decide on a constitutional amendment to change the language within the New Mexico state constitution to outlaw slavery as punishment for a crime.
New York
Protecting schools from ICE raids.
Assembly Bill 5373, introduced by Democratic Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, would ban ICE from entering schools and prohibit civil arrests in school settings, and prohibit all public and charter schools from allowing law enforcement officials inside school property to access a student without a judicial warrant.
Pennsylvania
Abolishing the death penalty in the state.
House Bill 888, introduced by Republican state Representative Russ Diamond, would abolish the death penalty in the state of Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island
Protecting firefighters from PFAS.
Senate Bill 241, introduced by Democratic state Senator Walter Felag, would not allow any firefighting equipment used in the state to contain intentionally-added PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”Establishing universal pre-K.
Senate Bill 394 (the “Rhode Island Pre-Kindergarten Education Act”), introduced by Democratic state Senator Hanna Gallo, would mandate publicly-funded pre-kindergarten programs for three and four-year-olds in the state.
Texas
Clarifying doctors’ abilities to act in critical health emergencies under the state’s abortion ban.
House Bill 1493 (the “Life of the Mother Act”), introduced by Democratic state Representative Ann Johnson, would provide doctors with clear guidelines for cases of health emergencies so they are able to provide necessary care under the state’s abortion ban.
Washington
Establishing a publicly-funded universal healthcare system.
House Bill 1445 and Senate Bill 5233, introduced by a slate of Democratic state Senators and Representatives, would establish the Washington Health Trust – a publicly-funded universal healthcare system.Limiting bulk purchases and transfers of firearms and ammunition.
House Bill 1132, introduced by Democratic state Representative Darya Farivar, would limit gun shops from selling more than one gun to an individual buyer in the space of a month, in addition to limiting the sales of ammunition – 100 rounds of .50-caliber ammunition and 1,000 rounds of all other ammo.Imposing rent control to improve housing stability for tenants.
House Bill 1217, introduced by Democratic state Senator Emily Alvarado, would restrict landlords from raising tenants’ rent in the first year of a lease, cap rent increases at 7% each year after the first, and require notice of rent and fee increases. The bill would also limit fees and deposits, authorize tenant lease termination, and more.
West Virginia
Strengthening and expanding laws against sexual extortion.
Senate Bill 240, introduced by Republican state Senator Bill Hamilton, would allow for extortion charges in cases where an individual threatens to share private, intimate images or when a workplace superior pressures an employee into sexual acts under the threat of job insecurity. The bill also also establishes stricter penalties for cases involving minors and situations where extortion results in injury or death, including suicide.