NewDEAL Legislators Are Getting Things Done in 2025

Photo by Dale Honeycutt on Unsplash

The 118th Congress (2023–2025) was one of the least effective in decades, passing fewer than 150 bills compared to the 117th’s 350 bills. After a refusal to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing problems in the last Congress, the major legislation this year would rip health care away from millions of people, slash food assistance, and put the country trillions more dollars into debt without addressing the biggest concerns of everyday Americans. In this environment, it is particularly unsurprising that Americans continue to hold a more favorable view of elected officials closer to home. In contrast to the actions in Washington, NewDEAL Leaders are showing how progress is possible across a range of issues, and that is particularly true of NewDEAL’s 105 state legislators serving across 44 states this year.

NewDEAL Leaders have a long track record of being effective legislators. The overwhelming majority of NewDEALers in state legislators serve in leadership positions, either within their caucuses or on committees and subcommittees. And according to research from the Center for Effective Lawmaking, prior to joining NewDEAL, selected Leaders performed at 20 percent above their average benchmarks. And after joining NewDEAL, that efficacy rating increased, with NewDEALers performing at 38 percent above benchmarks compared to other policymakers.

That leadership continues. In 2025, NewDEALers have sponsored or cosponsored more than 2,400 substantive bills that have been passed out of at least one chamber. Of those, more than 720 have been signed into law. On average, each NewDEALer has sponsored or cosponsored 23 bills that passed at least one chamber and 7 bills that became law.

Yet as Jen Pahlka mentioned during her appearance on NewDEAL’s award-winning podcast, An Honorable Profession, it is important for Democrats to focus on outcomes rather than processes. After all, the quality of bills matters more to constituents, and to achieving our ultimate goals of making government work better and improving quality of life, than the volume of legislation that gets passed. And NewDEALers are leading the way when it comes to making a real, demonstrable, and positive impact on their communities.

NewDEAL Leaders are addressing the key and emerging issues that really matter to Americans. Below are highlights of bills sponsored by NewDEALers that became law in 2025, addressing issues like housing, education, climate, democracy and voting, AI & technology, and more.

Housing:

• Arkansas: Rep. Nicole Clowney — HB 1503: Increases housing supply by requiring municipalities to allow homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and prohibits certain restrictions.
• Maryland: Sen. Antonio Hayes — SB 550: In order to reduce the number of vacant and abandoned buildings, this law allows Baltimore to impose special property taxes on vacant and abandoned buildings owned by otherwise tax-exempt non profits.
• North Dakota: Rep. Josh Boschee — HB 2229: Requires that sellers of a home governed by Home Owners Associations (HOAs) disclose crucial information to sellers like the HOA’s fiscal status and pending lawsuits, making these transactions smoother for both buyers and sellers.
• Virginia: Del. Michael Feggans — HB 1868: Expands property tax exemptions to surviving spouses of military members who have committed suicide.
• Virginia: Del. Kathy Tran — HB 2218: Requires landlords of five or more units to accept rental and fee payments through check, electronic funds transfer, debit or credit card, cash, and money order. This will make it easier for renters to pay their bills every month.

Education:

• Alabama: Rep. Jeremy Gray — HJR 181: Creates a task force to study the effects of quantum computing on Alabama’s economy and generate a plan to implement quantum computing across the state’s industries to become more competitive.
• Colorado: Jeff Bridges — SB 113: Increases state K-12 education funding to offset reductions on district income tax revenue and provide students the support they need.
• Connecticut: Sen. Bob Duff — HB 7163: Provides emergency grants to municipalities to cover special education costs, ensuring that all students have access to the resources they need to thrive.
• New Jersey Sen. Troy Singleton — SB 1445: Requires public post-secondary institutions to readmit students who withdrew to complete military service, fulfilling our commitments to those who served our country.
• Tennessee: Sen. Raumesh Akbari — SB 344: Requires that at least one full-time employee at each public and charter school receive annual seizure safety and first aid training which will ensure that schools are better prepared for medical emergencies.
• Tennessee: Sen. Jeff Yarbro — SB 314: Provides education employees with paid leave when they are in the process of adopting a child, which will help more children enter stable, loving homes.

Climate:

• Colorado: Sen. Dylan Roberts — HB 1040: Defines nuclear power as a clean energy source in order to attract research and investment funding.
• Connecticut: Sen. Christine Cohen & Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey — SJ 36: Proposes a state constitutional right to clean and healthy air, water, soil, ecosystems, environment, and a safe climate. If approved by voters in 2026, residents would be able to directly invoke and enforce these environmental rights and ensure Connecticut is meeting its environmental commitments.
• Washington: Rep. Kristine Reeves — HB 1539: Creates a comprehensive work group to study and develop recommendations for statewide wildfire mitigation and resiliency standards to better handle the growing risk and severity of wildfires.*
• Washington: Rep. Kristine Reeves — HB 2003: Establishes a Columbia River recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program to generate funds for habitat management, ensuring that recreational fishing can be enjoyed for generations to come.*

Democracy:

• Arkansas: Sen. Clarke Tucker — SB 188: Requires the Secretary of State to post information about ballot initiatives online for the full election cycle and increases transparency requirements, ensuring that Arkansans have greater access to information about such initiatives.
• Hawaii: Sens. Stanley Chang Troy Hashimoto — SB 1202: Allows candidates to utilize campaign funds to pay for some childcare and household dependent care costs, giving more people the ability to serve their communities by running for office.
• Idaho: Rep. Ilana Rubel — SB 1001: Creates a mechanism to quickly dismiss lawsuits that could potentially infringe upon First Amendment rights. This will help prevent legitimate free speech from being culled by frivolous lawsuits.
• Utah: Sen. Stephanie Pitcher — SB 54: Allows candidates for public office to place a middle name or nickname to the ballot if it is a name they are commonly known by, making the election process more accessible and transparent.

Artificial Intelligence/Technology

• New Jersey: Asm. Lou Greenwald — AB 3540: Establishes criminal penalties for producing, soliciting, or disseminating “deepfaked” audio or visual content created with malicious intent, such as child endangerment, harassment, or cyber-harassment.
• Colorado: Sen. Lindsey Daugherty — SB 86: Establishes comprehensive protections for minors using social media by requiring that companies verify user ages and implement stricter enforcement.
• New York: Sen. Alex Bores — AB 843: Clarifies and strengthens penalties for third parties making unauthorized reservations for restaurants.
• Utah: Sen. Stephanie Pitcher — SB 180: Establishes guidelines and reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies’ use of generative artificial intelligence (AI).
• Virginia: Del. Kathy Tran — HB 2541: Requires all state agencies, local governments, and public schools to ensure that their digital technologies are accessible for those with disabilities.

Other:

• Colorado: Sen. Lindsey Daugherty & Rep. Meghan Lukens — HB 1138: Expands restrictions on introducing evidence in civil suits about a victim’s sexual history, adding that a victim’s manner of dress, hairstyle, speech, or lifestyle cannot be used to challenge their credibility or suggest consent. This will help protect victims of sexual violence and prevent bad actors from unfairly discrediting them.
• Maine: Rep. Kristen Cloutier — LD 709: Creates a state respite care program to provide supplemental care for primary caregivers of elderly, disabled, or chronically ill family members, ensuring caregivers have time to recover and thrive.
• New Jersey: Sen. Raj Mukherji — AB 1476: Establishes “New Jersey Target Zero Commission” to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities from traffic by 2040.
• North Dakota: Rep Jayme Davis — HB 1564: Clarifies and strengthens protections for Indian children during custody proceedings, ensuring these child welfare proceedings are conducted with greater cultural sensitivity, respect for tribal connections, and a presumption of maintaining family unity.
• Virginia: Sen. Aaron Rouse — SB 1430: Provides additional civil relief to federal government employees, contractors, landlords, and mortgage holders during a federal government shutdown. This will help stabilize the lives of thousands of dedicated public servants and protect Virginia’s economy.

Interested in learning more about NewDEAL Leaders? Check out our award-winning podcast, An Honorable Profession, available wherever you get podcasts.

Special thanks to NewDEAL Fellow Declan O’Shea, lead author of this Medium post.

*These bills have passed both chambers and are expected to be signed by the Governor.