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The Center for Practical Federalism Scorecard reveals the vulnerability of states and communities to influence by unelected federal agency officials. States that perform well on this Scorecard tend to place authority over internal state agency operations, as well as the state’s relationship with federal agencies, in the hands of elected officials rather than unelected administrators.
How to Use the Scorecard
The reforms recommended in this report are drawn from the best laws in “red” and “blue” states alike, consistent with the principle that citizens ought to be governed by people they elect.
Their effect is to give elected leaders—in particular, state legislators—more visibility into and authority over the many ways their state agencies engage with federal agencies. Important but neglected matters like the strings attached to federal grants, a barrage of legally questionable federal guidance, and the extensive state-borne costs of federal grant compliance are having a growing impact on the functioning of states and communities. Elected officials with visibility into these and other factors are better positioned to lead than those who remain blind to them.
State legislators who are able to see, question, and even change the decisions unelected agency officials are presently making are the ones who will be able to effectively lead. The rest, whether they realize it or not, will increasingly take their marching orders from federal agencies who don’t always have the best interests of local communities in mind.
Scorecard Highlights
FAQs
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The Scorecard will be updated annually and released in January.
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Yes, state-specific Scorecards will be released throughout the year.
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Federal agencies have a growing say over state and community self-governance. Much of it occurs behind the scenes, without the awareness or approval of elected representatives. Federal dollars comprise a growing share of state budgets, and federal regulations affecting state and local operations have grown precipitously, as have the little-understood and poorly tracked subregulatory directives known as federal guidance. The Center for Practical Federalism developed this Scorecard to raise awareness of the gradual outsourcing of representative democracy to unelected federal officials, and to identify practical remedies state and local leaders can embrace to change this.
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As the report details, there are numerous examples of good state statutes that reduce the influence of federal agencies over states and communities. There is also model legislation states can implement to restore authority to elected representatives. If you would like a report that details your particular state’s strengths and vulnerabilities, including a list of reforms that would most improve its score, please contact us at federalism@spn.org.
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Please contact us! As we try to make clear in our report, we welcome feedback and correction. Our goal is to make each iteration of our Scorecard stronger and more reliable, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have suggestions or questions.
