The new year will soon be upon us, and across the Washington region, that can mean new laws going into effect. Below are some of the changes you may see.
Minimum wage increase: The minimum wage in Virginia will bump up to $12 per hour on Jan. 1, up from $11. The increase is dictated by legislation passed by Democrats in 2020 that pushes the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026. The next increase will come in January 2025, when wages will jump to $13.50 per hour.
Consumer data: The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act takes effect in January. The law regulates businesses that control, process or sometimes sell large quantities of consumer data, and gives consumers rights to see their data, correct it, get a copy of it, and opt out of businesses using their data for targeted advertising. The law does not allow consumers to bring lawsuits against tech firms over the handling of their personal information, however, leaving enforcement entirely in the hands of the Attorney General. The measure, only the second state-level attempt to codify consumer data protections in the country, originally passed the General Assembly in 2021 along bipartisan lines — and with big-tech industry support.
A reduction in the grocery tax: Residents will see a change on their grocery bills in January, when the grocery tax will decrease from 2.5% to 1% (the tax is levied on food for home consumption and some personal hygiene products). The reduction was approved in this year’s state...
Police have launched an investigation into alleged false accusation by Park Cheol-min, a former member of the Seongnam International Mafia. Park, ahead of the 2022 presidential election, raised al...