Abusive preemption laws and rising federal authoritarianism are intimately linked 🔗
Federal authorities are modeling their attacks on state abusive preemption & emboldening state lawmakers to embrace even more harmful preemption measures. Get the facts: www.supportdemocracy.org/authoritarianism
For many workers, heat isn’t just uncomfortable – it can be life-threatening. As more localities try to protect workers from extreme heat exposure, states are preempting their ability to legislate around extreme heat during work. Learn more in our new blog: www.supportdemocracy.org/the-latest/w...
Democracy works best when decisions are made close to home. But IA lawmakers are considering a bill that would revoke township responsibilities & eliminate their boards of trustees, transferring local authority to their respective counties. Get the facts: www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/p...
AZ lawmakers are considering an extreme drag ban that would make it a crime to allow a minor to view a drag show or enter a venue where one is taking place. This would be an outrageous & discriminatory overreach targeting LGBTQ+ communities. Learn more: www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report...
There are powerful lessons states can learn from MN’s work empowering local control + curbing abusive preemption.
Read key takeaways in our new blog from Cornell Prof. @povertyscholar.bsky.social of the Center for Racial Justice & Equitable Futures: www.supportdemocracy.org/the-latest/p...
The rise of federal authoritarianism is harming public health. States are reducing local control over health protections – prohibiting policies like vaccine requirements & paid sick leave – leaving less healthy communities in their wake 😷
Learn more: www.supportdemocracy.org/authoritarianism
Despite the Death Star 2.0 law ripping away many aspects of home rule from cities & towns in Florida last year, lawmakers are still using abusive preemption to target local control of land use, local fees, & more.
Learn about the new preemption bills in FL:
floridapolitics.com/archives/776...
Many Idaho towns & cities support protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination – that’s why they’ve passed policies to do so. Now, the state leg is considering an abusive preemption bill to block inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances.
Get the facts: idahocapitalsun.com/2026/01/28/n...
Countless Americans fought hard for the civil rights protections we rely on today. The Trump Administration’s work to undermine these rights & target marginalized communities is a classic move from the authoritarian playbook. Get the facts 📜 www.supportdemocracy.org/authoritarianism
No KY city or county is listed as a “sanctuary jurisdiction.”
But that hasn’t stopped state lawmakers from targeting localities with “sanctuary policies,” using abusive preemption to force counties to comply with ICE’s aggressive tactics. Learn more:
www.lpm.org/news/2026-01...
SPOTLIGHT 🔎Luis Figueroa, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs at Every Texan
We had an insightful conversation about his work advocating for local democracy and fighting abusive preemption in Texas. Read the full conversation: www.supportdemocracy.org/the-latest/l...
Rising federal authoritarianism is harming our rights and freedoms at every level of government ❌
Get the facts in our new white paper on Federal Authoritarianism and Abusive State Preemption: www.supportdemocracy.org/authoritarianism
From deploying the national guard to Memphis, D.C. & Chicago to withholding federal funding from localities that continue to promote DEI, the federal turn toward authoritarianism is targeting the rights & freedoms of cities across the country. Learn more: www.supportdemocracy.org/authoritarianism
IN communities want a say in zoning policies & restrictions implemented on new development, but state leaders are proposing legislation to preempt local control & force localities to encourage development for more affordable housing. Get the facts: indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/01/21/l...
School nurses provide vital healthcare for kids at school, but preemption laws are making their jobs harder. These laws, passed without implementation in mind, have diluted care provided by school nurses. Learn more via @networkforphl.bsky.social 🩺 www.networkforphl.org/news-insight...
The discriminatory, anti-immigrant agenda of the Trump administration is continuously being implemented at the state level through abusive preemption legislation, & recent bills introduced in the TN legislature are no exception. Learn about these dangerous bills ⬇️
nashvillebanner.com/2026/01/15/t...
OUT NOW: Our new white paper digs deep into connections between federal authoritarianism & abusive state preemption 📜
In recent years, more states have abused their powers and interfered with local democracy to the detriment of communities. Get the facts: www.supportdemocracy.org/authoritaria...
We stand with Minnesota ❤️🗣
Savannah, GA unanimously passed an ordinance to outlaw leaving guns in unlocked cars because citizens supported it to make communities safer. Now, state lawmakers are using abusive preemption to undermine local control & void ordinances like this. apnews.com/article/gun-...
Texas’ abusive preemption Death Star 2.0 bill is now denying Texas A&M students the comprehensive education they deserve ❌
Educators have reported that they’ve been asked to remove materials related to gender, sexuality, race, and more. Get the facts 📝
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Legal win for home rule in Kentucky 🎉 The KY Supreme Court reversed an earlier decision and limited the state legislature’s ability to restrict local control over school board decisions. Get the facts ⬇️
nkytribune.com/2026/01/kent...
Despite attacks, we can still fight for equality by:
📝Tracking anti-DEI bills
🗣️Demonstrating the benefits of DEI
🤝Building broad coalitions
⚖️Legally challenging vague anti-DEI laws
Learn more in our recent blog from Ruqaiijah Yearby, JD, MPH of IHJE: www.supportdemocracy.org/the-latest/c...
Abusive preemption is having a vast, negative impact on communities across IN – from affordable housing to minimum wage to gun control. Get the facts in a new report from the IN Coalition for Human Services urging state lawmakers to study the harms of preemption: www.wfyi.org/news/article...
Abusive preemption laws are blocking Michigan communities from addressing the affordable housing crisis, and Saginaw, MI Mayor Brenda Moore wrote a great op-ed about how partnership, not preemption, is needed to help MI thrive. Read the full piece: michiganchronicle.com/advancing-ho...
FL lawmakers are considering serious changes to their Death Star 2.0 law after the law sparked outrage from cities and municipalities. Learn more – including how keeping any part of this abusive preemption bill on the books continues to harm Floridians: www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Research shows that low levels of Fluoride in water makes communities healthier & helps protect kids from dental problems later in life. This is another example of the MAHA agenda being enacted through abusive preemption to the detriment of public health. www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Many WV communities don’t want data centers in their backyards due to the loud noise, air pollution, chemicals in drinking water, & more. But state lawmakers recently used abusive preemption to overrule local control over these decisions. Get the facts: mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/12/14/d...
New year, same abusive preemption from state lawmakers seeking to enact Trump’s anti-democratic agenda. Get ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session via our recent trends report 📜https://www.supportdemocracy.org/the-latest/2026prefiles
Happy New Year from your friends at the Local Solutions Support Center! Cheers to a more democratic 2026 🎉🥂
Last year, more than 6 states eroded critical DEI measures via preemption legislation or executive order. According to pre-files for the 2026 Legislative Session, more states are planning to target DEI in K-12 schools & higher education. Get the facts: www.supportdemocracy.org/the-latest/2...
