California Enacts AI Employment Regulations – On June 27, 2025, California enacted regulations that ban covered employers from using artificial intelligence (AI) that results in discrimination based on an employee’s protected class. The regulations take effect Oct. 1, 2025.
Read more: California Legal Update
Delaware Amends PFML Provisions on Private Plans, Coordination of Benefits – Delaware has enacted House Bill (HB) 128, amending its paid family and medical leave (PFML) program. The changes largely affect private plans and coordination of benefits under the program, which will begin providing benefits Jan. 1, 2026. The amendments took effect upon the bill’s passage on July 30, 2025.
Read more: Delaware Legal Update
Florida Enacts Employer-friendly Noncompete Law – On June 18, 2025, Florida’s legislature passed the Florida Contracts Honoring Opportunity, Investment, Confidentiality, and Economic Growth (CHOICE) Act, allowing employers to enter into enhanced noncompete and garden leave agreements with certain employees. Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed the bill to become law on July 3, 2025, and the law took effect retroactively on July 1, 2025.
Read more: Florida Legal Update
Illinois Requires Employers to Provide Paid Lactation Breaks – On Aug. 1, 2025, Illinois amended the Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act to require employers to compensate employees at their regular rate of compensation during lactation breaks. The amendment takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
Read more: Illinois Legal Update
Maryland Again Delays Paid Family and Medical Leave Program – Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has signed into law a bill that establishes new implementation dates for the state’s paid family and medical leave insurance program, known as FAMLI. House Bill (HB) 102 pushes the start of payroll deductions back to Jan. 1, 2027, from the previous start date of July 1, 2025. The amendments also delay the start of FAMLI benefits claims to a date chosen by the Maryland Secretary of Labor, sometime between Jan. 1, 2027, and Jan. 3, 2028. Before the bill’s enactment, the benefit availability date was July 1, 2026.
Read more: Maryland Legal Update
Ohio Enacts Mini-WARN Act – On June 30, 2025, Ohio enacted a new law that generally incorporates the federal Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification (WARN) Act, which requires employers to provide notice prior to conducting plant closings or mass layoffs. However, the new law also requires employers to provide additional information in such notices. The law is effective Sept. 29, 2025.
Read more: Ohio Legal Update
Texas Enacts Comprehensive AI Legislation – On June 22, 2025, Texas enacted the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (Act) to impose guardrails on the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the state. The Act takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, and makes Texas the second state to enact omnibus AI legislation.
Read more: Texas Legal Update