For hundreds of thousands of minimum-wage workers around the country, the new year brings a raise. Musicians worried about copycats get some protection in Illinois. And California takes steps to reduce the power-plant pollution that is believed to contribute to global warming.

Jan. 1 brings new laws in many states, offering both a glimpse of what is on the voters' minds and a preview of some of the issues Washington might take up. Many states take action long before Congress does.Read this article in full with a
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