ABSTRACT
Local jurisdictions in the United States depend on their state governments for sufficient authority and discretion to function effectively. States, however, vary in the degree to which they have empowered their local governments. This chapter analyzes state legislative actions in the 50 U.S. states during the 2011–2012 biennium, in both regular and special sessions, which directly affected local governments, specifically cities, counties, and towns. The goal is to determine the impact of legislative actions on local jurisdictions, particularly whether these enactments restricted or empowered localities. The analysis shows that, on average, a state enacted 50 new laws affecting local governments during the biennium; however, the average masks substantial variation across states. In terms of impact, the number of empowering laws exceeded the number of restricting laws although again, individual states differ significantly on this indicator. On balance, twice as many states empowered their local governments than restricted them. The most prevalent topic among the new laws is the operation of local governments.
