As 2026 begins, new laws are taking effect across the country. Many of the new regulations show how states are responding to some of the ongoing issues facing Americans.
Virginia will limit the amount of time children under age 16 can spend on social media to an hour per day (per platform, unless a parent or guardian allows for more screen time). Tennessee will begin tracking repeat domestic violence offenders in a public database. Travelersvisiting Hawaii will now pay an additional fee. California is upping its ban on plastic bags.
And Indiana is taking steps to ensure charities that run bingo and raffle games don’t turn into full-blown casinos.
Here are some of the most notable new pieces of legislation going into effect.
A new Indiana law prohibits facilities that host bingo or casino game nights from doing so more than three nights a week. It comes after the state’s gaming commission accused a local Elks lodge of racketeering tied to its charity casino and seized more than $100,000.
