The humidity is high, the AQI is even higher, and the mosquitoes have infiltrated our region; it’s officially summer. That means fiscal years are wrapping up, budgets are being implemented, and in the D.C. area, new laws are going into effect.

Here’s what to know about new laws taking effect in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia on July 1.

D.C. 

Minimum wage increase: Starting Saturday, minimum wage for non-tipped workers in the District will rise from $16.10 per hour to $17.00 per hour. For tipped employees, minimum wage will jump from $6 to $8 per hour. The increase follows the passage of the Fair Shot Minimum Wage Amendment Act passed in 2016, championed by the “Fight for $15” campaign.

Cap on rent increases: The D.C. Council passed an emergency bill in June that will cap many new rent increases at 6% starting on Saturday. The limit applies to rent-stabilized apartments, which are most multifamily buildings constructed before 1976. While there’s no accurate count of rent-stabilized apartments in D.C., estimates suggest it could be between 70,000-80,0000. Lawmakers also included a provision that bans property owners from raising prices by more than 12% over two years, in addition to more aggressive protections for senior citizens; for elderly residents, rent increases are capped at 4% this year, and 8% total over the next few years.

Maryland 

Legal recreational weed: A long-time coming, recreational, adult-use cannabis will be fully legal for purchasing, sale, and possession starting Saturday. During this spring’s General Assembly session, lawmakers successfully raced against the clock to pass legislation that would create a framework for regulating recreational sales, after voters overwhelmingly approved recreational cannabis legislation via a ballot referendum in the 2022 election. Tomorrow, it will be legal for adults 21 and over to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis, up to 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or cannabis products containing up to 750 milligrams of delta-9-THC. Adults can also grow up to two plants in their home. As of July 1, nearly all of the state’s current medical dispensaries will begin selling recreational cannabis — a provision made possible under the General Assembly’s Cannabis Reform Act. (You can see a list of locations here, but expect long lines.)

Gas tax increase: Starting July 1, the state’s gas tax will increase to 47 cents per gallon, a jump of 10% from the current rate. The gas tax in Maryland has increased by 30% in two years, due to inflation and rising fuel costs. The diesel tax will increase from nearly 43.5 cents per gallon to 47.8 cents per gallon on July 1.

Virginia 

Prohibiting the use of solitary confinement: Virginia prisons will no longer be allowed to use so-called “restorative housing” — essentially solitary confinement, except in some narrow circumstances. The new law is the product of a rare bipartisan partnership between Republican Del. Glenn Davis and House Minority Leader Don Scott, a Democrat who spent several years in prison on federal drug charges in the 1990s and has since had his rights restored. State corrections officials had already ended the practice of solitary confinement, but have still maintained “restorative housing” as an option for separating incarcerated people from the general population over safety concerns or as the result of requests. The new bill requires that people in restorative housing receive a minimum of four hours of out-of-cell activities to help address behavior or promote personal growth. Prison officials will also be required to have an outlined policy for how to transition people out of restorative housing.

NDAs and sexual harassment: A new Virginia law, originally introduced by Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, bans employers in the state from creating or renewing nondisclosure agreements that prevent people from speaking up about claims of sexual harassment. NDAs have been a focal point of the #MeToo movement because of their widespread use by powerful companies seeking to prevent employees or former employees from discussing their experiences.

A new name and new penalties for fentanyl: The drug fentanyl will now be designated a “weapon of terrorism” per a new Virginia statute, which layers on an additional two to 10 years in prison on top of the existing five-to-40-year penalty for manufacturing or distributing the deadly substance. The Virginia Department of Health says fentanyl is responsible for the state’s ongoing uptick in fatal overdoses since 2013.

Porn and age verification: A new law requires porn websites to use age verification and identification to prevent children from accessing explicit content. It’s already making waves in Virginia, with Pornhub deciding to end access to the site from within the commonwealth in advance of the new rules taking effect, the Virginia Mercury reports. Porn websites that don’t comply could be sued by citizens for damages. The new law also deletes “homosexuality” from the state’s legal definition of “sexual conduct.”

Tax credits for safe gun storage: The split General Assembly has pretty much failed to agree on questions of gun safety and gun rights in recent years. But this year, lawmakers came to one very small bipartisan agreement. With Arlington Democrat Del. Alfonso Lopez’s backing, both chambers approved a nonrefundable tax credit for people who purchase safety devices for their firearms. Gun owners can receive up to $300 in reimbursement from the state for buying a gun safe or lockbox. The credit is good through 2027.