By Kaanita Iyer, CNN

(CNN) — January 1 not only ushered in 2025 but a slew of new laws.

In 2024, states tackled issues ranging from abortion rights to gender-affirming care for minors, advancing legislation to take effect the following year. Starting Wednesday, Americans in nearly two dozen states will also see a hike in minimum wage while seniors covered by Medicare may have lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.

Here are some of the new laws that are now in effect.

Minimum wage hikes

The minimum wage has increased in 21 states, according to the National Employment Law Project.

The hikes took effect in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

With the increase, Washington continues to have the highest minimum wage of all states at $16.66, up 38 cents. Delaware will see the highest increase, from $13.25 to $15.

Meanwhile, Minnesota has moved to standardize its minimum wage. The state had set a minimum wage of $10.85 for larger employers and one of $8.85 for small employers, employees under the age of 18 and those in the US under a J-1 visa, which is for exchange visitors and can be used for foreign students to pursue academic training or research. This group will see the largest minimum-wage increase in the country – $2.28 – with the state’s new minimum wage of $11.13 for all employers.

Washington, DC, continues to have the highest minimum wage in the country at $17.05 after a 45-cent hike in July.

New Hampshire’s ban on gender-affirming surgical care for minors

A ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors is now in effect in New Hampshire, though these surgical procedures are rarely performed on children.

HB 619, which was signed by GOP Gov. Chris Sununu in July, also allows minors who went through such surgery and their parents to bring a lawsuit against the medical provider who performed the surgery within two years of the procedure, as well as against anyone who “aided or abetted” the procedure.

Expanded abortion protections in New York

New York’s constitution has been amended to reflect abortion protections approved by voters on Election Day.

The equal protection clause of the state’s constitution now says that a person’s rights cannot be denied due to “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.”

The constitutional amendment does not change the status of abortion in the state, where the procedure remains legal until viability, which is around 22 to 24 weeks into a pregnancy.

More generous clean energy tax credit

A provision of the Inflation Reduction Act – Biden’s sweeping health care, tax and climate bill that passed in 2022 – is broadening clean electricity tax credits now that it is in effect.

Tax credits to help businesses produce and invest in clean energy have expanded to all facilities and energy storage systems that can produce energy without any planet-warming pollution. The tax credits apply to any kind of energy that has no greenhouse gases, including wind, solar, hydropower, energy storage, geothermal and tidal power.

New cap on out-of-pocket drug costs under Medicare

Medicare enrollees will now pay a maximum of $2,000 on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs annually as part of another provision of the Inflation Reduction Act.

The limit applies to prescription drugs bought at pharmacies and through mail orders, which are covered through Medicare Part D.

Prior to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, there was no limit on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare enrollees.

CNN’s Tami Luhby and Ella Nilsen contributed to this report.

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