A look at the big issues that inspired new state laws taking effect in 2023

Stephanie Sy:

That includes California and New York, which would expand abortion care. But, in Tennessee, a new restriction abortion went into effect that requires a licensed physician to prescribe abortion pills.

Tennessee already has a near total ban on abortion,alongside 12 other so-called red states. There’s much less polarization around legalizing weed. Last week, celebration erupted at the historic opening sale of New York’s first marijuana dispensary. The state, which legalized cannabis last year, will now sell it to anyone over 21.

Recreational use of marijuana was also legalized in Missouri and Maryland. Workers in at least 23 states will get higher paychecks this year, as new minimum wage increases kick in. But the size of that increase varies. In Nebraska, it’s gone from $9 to $10.50 an hour. And, in Washington, D.C., it will hike up to $17 an hour in July.

To alleviate the pain of inflation, Kansas and Virginia are lowering their sales taxes on groceries. And about two-thirds of states also approved income tax cuts or rebates last year, with many taking effect this month.

2023 is expected to be yet another busy year on the state level, especially with divided federal government.

Reid Wilson tracks this all closely as the founder and editor of the state news Web site Pluribus News.

And he joins me now.

Reid, happy new year. And thank you so much for joining the “NewsHour.”

I want to launch right into this. So, several state legislators addressed the abortion issue last year. How high does that remain on state legislatures’ priority lists in this new year?