What Lies Ahead: New Federal Regulations for 2025

Upcoming Federal Law Summary

This year, elected officials at the federal level are working to pass new laws that will create a huge range of changes effective in 2025 and beyond. Below is a brief overview of these new laws and the anticipated changes they would create.
One of the biggest laws on the horizon covers lead testing for public water systems and especially focuses on lead service line replacement. Recent studies have shown that toxic levels of lead can migrate into water systems and begin contaminating drinking water. This new law would create a system of easy reporting and monitoring for lead contamination and create financial assistance for states and water systems to take actions to reduce and eliminate lead contamination in their drinking water. And by 2025, the law would mandate that all lead service lines be replaced or lined (a highly expensive fix that concerns many).
An open-access broadband law is also on the horizon. This law would create a series of investments and tax incentives to expand broadband access across rural America. At present, inconsistent coverage and high prices make broadband an inaccessible luxury for many rural Americans. The law would fund broadband infrastructure grants and incentives and create tax incentives for broadband companies to provide certain services to low-income families. States would be offered incentives to offer free broadband service to all schools throughout the state and federal infrastructure financing would be boosted for broadband construction projects .
The Affordable Care Act appears to be on the chopping block for 2025. While some lawmakers are calling for an immediate repeal and others want to delay the effects for up to several years, the fate of the Affordable Care Act will be decided this year, with the implementation date shifting to 2025 for now.
The Affordable Care Act has allowed millions of otherwise uninsured Americans access to affordable health insurance. The bill would expand Medicaid. It offers financial aid for some low- and middle-class Americans and expands tax credits to make health insurance more affordable. The law also requires employers with 50 or more workers to offer affordable health insurance. Much of the Affordable Care Act has already been implemented, and its repeal will have drastic consequences. It is expected the report that the Affordable Care Act repeal would cause 32 million Americans to lose health insurance will be a key factor in its delayed implementation.
Finally, there is the disaster spending bill. 2017 is not the first year severe weather has devastated the country. Recent developments such as increased flooding due to hurricane Harvey and wind damage due to hurricane irma have completely depleted disaster funds and led many states, particularly those affected by weather incidents, to call for increased disaster spending.

Nationwide Business Impact

In tandem with the new laws on the state level, changes are coming at the federal level that will impact every business across the country. The decrees adopted by the NLRB, for example, will require employers to update their employee handbooks and update their procedures in key areas. However, the greater effect of these new laws is going to be a massive increase in regulation. Clearly, Congress has little regard for the business community and has adopted laws that increase the burden on business nationwide. Businesses will see an increase in regulatory burdens that will affect every area of operation. From changes in occupational safety and health to food safety regulation, changes that directly impact employment and increase costs will be seen across the country. Businesses will need to prepare for these changes.

Healthcare and Social Services Effects

The anticipated changes in federal legislation are expected to have both direct and indirect effects in the realm of healthcare and social services. The most significant among these is the continuing decentralization of healthcare delivery as a result of the recent trend toward Medicaid transformation to include Community Based Services (CBS). According to CMS, CBS are "comprehensive, community-based mental and physical health care services, including acute care, wellness, and chronic care management services." Such services are commonly delivered by certified coordinators in community settings, emphasizing patient-centered interventions. Reforms in the Affordable Care Act continue to be implemented by states with the goal of improved access and greater efficiency. Further, the U.S. Department of Labor’s recently released the "Proposed Rule for Improving the Quality of OT and HHA Services" which proposes to extend overtime pay protections to hundreds of thousands of home care workers. Assuming this goes into effect on January 1, 2015, the increased labor cost to home healthcare providers might be absorbed by raising increases to Medicaid rates, which would in turn place further stress on the Medicaid program. On the other hand, the rule might also affect the home healthcare service available to Medicaid beneficiaries if providers choose to reduce their workforce or limit services covered under the program.
Working to address the expected influx of elderly people moving into the area will certainly become a problem and concern that municipalities will need to address in coming years. Population estimates predict that between 2010 and 2030 roughly 500,000 new seniors will relocate to the area, nearly doubling the existing senior population. Municipalities are scrambling to find a solution to a potential shortage of housing and services. Where will all of these individuals live? How will they get to doctors’ appointments or receive home care services? Who will take them to church or the social club? What about the 80 year old who has been living independently for years in the neighborhood and needs help? In addition to massive infrastructural changes to the built environment, there will need to be an increase in service, financial, and volunteer capacity to meet the needs of this anticipated demographic. For example, the demand for volunteer drivers is expected to increase from 65,000 to 105,000 by 2030. This requires coordinated efforts by municipal officials, nonprofits, community colleges, and other stakeholders to determine adequate solutions.
Public and private insurers will also see new business and market opportunities as the laws go into effect. The Affordable Care Act aims to stimulate the growth of the health information technology (HIT) industry. The law states that certain Medicaid providers may be eligible if they adopt "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs) to provide high-quality care, as required under the law. HIT includes EHRs and telemedicine, among other things, and its full-blown implementation has been estimated to create over 200,000 jobs nationwide. Further, we are likely to see major growth in provider networks, remote monitoring and other supply and demand chain services as secondary and tertiary care providers enter into risk sharing, payment bundling and other value based payment arrangements with the federal government. This could translate into high paying jobs for highly skilled personnel.

Environmental Regulations and Policies

In the coming years, we will see a generational shift in environmental regulation and policy. Title IV of the Act is likely to expand regulation of energy sources and emissions. Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) within the Federal Lands Management must be created, and a REZ must be designated in each State. The act puts into place a goal of 100% renewable electric generation by 2035, with an interim target of 80% by 2030. This will set the stage for interconnection challenges to access the REZ.
The cap and trade program under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) or an identical form thereof to be created in the Western United States, is likely to be implemented. This would result in per ton allotments and annual reductions being imposed on the electric power generation sector. Substantial changes to siting of new line facilities are likely. It is likely that additional biomethane will be produced through a series of projects addressing production of methane from landfills and other sources such as digesters at dairies and wastewater treatment plants. These projects will also likely produce hydrogen. This will result in even more monetization of the possible credits for projects.
The impact of these changes will be very substantial. They will increase corporate and government incentives to reduce greenhouse gases and to affect climate change, and to move toward a more carbon free society. In addition, it will make significant changes in wildlife habitat and conservation issues. Further, it will affect the relationship of the Federal Government and the State of Utah, including the relationships between subdivisions of the State such as special districts, and a local government. A local government also will be likely to be a participant in an integrated unit of government to address the expected outcome of these changes.

Education System Changes

As part of the new administration’s sweeping reforms, significant changes were made to the nation’s education laws.
The Joliet Act – The largest of which is the Joliet Act, a $60 billion federal education program for public schools. This law reallocates funding nationwide, giving most of it—including ALL funding for post-secondary education—to the states. The states can then divide the funds to schools based either on their budget and enrollment criteria or through school vouchers. The act also allows students to attend Special Schooling Centers for advanced studies, funded by the federal government, but only if they maintain a 3.5 GPA in their last half-semester of high school.
Teachers’ Performance Plans – In keeping with the New Unionization Laws, teachers are now required to submit two-year Performance Plans to their state education board , which will be made available to parents and school boards. The plans will detail their methods of teaching in a classroom, their involvement in the community, their performance assessments, their methods for tracking student progress, and a final evaluation from a registered teacher (chosen by the school) on their performance in the classroom. Plans will be digitized and available to their school board and local newspaper, and teachers will be evaluated at the end of their two-year period.
The Education Reform Act – Under this act, all federally funded schools are required to change their curriculum to place a larger focus on math, science and technology education, with the goal of bringing all students to grade 12 level in math and grade 11 in science and tech by graduation. The plan will be tested beginning in the 2027 school year, with a full implementation deadline of 2030.

Technological and Privacy Law Developments

The five new federal laws signed into effect for 2025 are set to change the way tech companies and service providers interact with their customers. Among these changes will be data protection for sensitive information, consumer protection, marketing standards, and cybersecurity measures. The laws will open up new channels for oversight, enforcement, and penalties.
Protection of Student Information in the Digital Age acts to protect student information with stricter restrictions on how a student’s data can be used. Technology companies that target or cater to schools or school districts must adhere to a variety of new regulations, including: strict bans on subcontracting for advertising campaigns, using student information to create profiles, and using precise geographical locations.
Cybersecurity standards are outlined in the Federal Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2017. This law requires the establishment of uniform standards and protocols for how tech companies can and will communicate to customers about hacks and data breaches. In addition, tech companies will be responsible for drafting a plan for how they will secure their technology from hackers and other threats.
When it comes to privacy law, all of the new laws focus on protecting consumer information. Contracts, social media interactions, and personal communication are just a few examples of communications covered by the new laws. Under Consumer Information Privacy Protection Act of 2017, which replaces the two previous laws (Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Act) and (Online Privacy Act), there are rules regulating consent requirements for the collection, use, disclosure, and management of an individual’s information.

Public Reaction and Predictions

The public response to the new Federal laws has been varied, with some groups overjoyed at the progress the nation will soon be making, while others express dismay. Those on both sides of the issues have taken to social media to speculate on what might happen under the new laws. The Republican party has faced strong opposition to the Immigration and Border Security Act, but they are determined to see the law through implementation. The Democrats have suggested they will continue to fight against the new gun control laws.
The most controversial of the new pieces of legislation is the pending Minimum Wage Bill. The bill raises the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. Supporters of the bill contend that the raise is much needed and will make a substantial difference for people living on the current federal minimum of $7 . 25 per hour. The group Justice for Workers predicts that it would lift 900,000 Americans above the poverty line and raise salaries of 40 million workers by over $100 billion per year. However, many economist and small business groups have chastised the government for passing the new bill. The National Federation of Independent Businesses has predicted that the new laws will force 600,000 workers to lose their jobs. Many critics of the bill also claim the proposed raise is excessive. Former Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, Al Hubbard, has argued that in addition to hurting workers, the new law will hurt business and drive companies away from the US. Some banks and corporations have promised to raise employee wages; however, word on Wall Street is that such measures will not go unnoticed.