Mississippi
Governors and State Lawmakers Push to Restore Constitutional Power to the States
OKLAHOMA CITY — State leaders of both parties say the federal government — including the president — wields too much power, and they want to see more authority returned to the states. Bipartisan groups of governors and state lawmakers held…
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Key points
- State governors and lawmakers are urging a return to constitutional federalism to limit federal overreach and restore state authority over elections, energy, and education.
- The National Governors Association is updating its federalism policies to address state sovereignty concerns, including AI regulation, National Guard command, and unfunded mandates.
- Leaders from both political parties emphasize that decentralized state governance encourages policy innovation while reducing national political polarization.
State Leaders Rally Around Principles of Federalism
OKLAHOMA CITY NewsWK — State leaders across the nation are mounting a renewed push to restore constitutional boundaries and rebalance power between Washington, D.C., and state governments. According to a report first published by Stateline, bipartisan groups of governors and state legislators at major national summits recently emphasized that federal authority has expanded beyond its intended scope, urging a return of local control over key issues including election administration, energy policy, and public education.
At the National Governors Association summer meeting in Oklahoma City, executive leaders highlighted how returning policy decisions to state capitols can reduce national political polarization and safeguard local self-governance. By focusing on federalism—the system designed by the nation’s founders to divide power between the national government and the states—officials argue that communities can implement tailored solutions rather than enduring top-down mandates from federal agencies.
Focusing on Innovation and Local Governance
Supporters of federalism emphasize that state-level policy experimentation often yields better results for families and taxpayers. Governors pointed to success stories such as Mississippi‘s reading instruction reforms, which led to significant improvements in student performance and served as a model for other states, as evidence that decentralization fosters effective governance.
The NGA is currently updating its official policy guidelines on federalism to address modern jurisdictional challenges. The revised framework aims to reinforce state sovereignty over issues such as artificial intelligence regulation and authority over state National Guard units, while addressing long-standing concerns regarding unfunded federal mandates imposed on local budgets.
“We have to demand it,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told Stateline regarding state authority. “We have to talk to our members of Congress about it, let them know that we don’t want the feds playing such a major role.”
Constitutional Limits on Federal Authority
State legislators meeting at the National Conference of State Legislatures summit in Chicago similarly called for greater adherence to constitutional limits on federal executive power. Leaders stressed that preserving state jurisdiction requires bipartisan commitment regardless of which political party holds executive office in Washington.
Utah state Rep. Ken Ivory, who heads Utah’s Federalism Commission, noted that maintaining constitutional balance is vital to preventing federal overreach. Rep. Ivory emphasized to Stateline that state sovereignty must transcend political divisions, stating, “We don’t want a red king or a blue king. We don’t want a king.”
Based on reporting by Kevin Hardy originally published by Stateline. Read the original story.
