We defend and advance local democracy.
Across the country, local governments are taking the lead on tackling our greatest challenges head-on, enacting laws to protect public health, improve workers’ rights, reduce inequity, respond to emerging environmental threats, advance technological innovation and other policy solutions. At the same time, the increased abuse of state preemption is removing or reducing the power of local governments to act on policies that would meet the needs and represent the values of their communities.
Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) is a national hub that connects, coordinates and creates efforts to counter the increasing misuse of preemption and strengthen local democracy.
The Latest on Preemption
Updates from the Local Solutions Support Center
This post takes a look at notable categories of abusive preemption bills from 2025 state legislative sessions that have become law or came close to becoming law.
The Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) has long engaged with city attorneys in the fight against the abuse of state preemption, and, at the critical juncture we find ourselves in, LSSC is seeking to renew and deepen this aspect of our work. Through this Request for Conversation, LSSC seeks a dynamic project manager to oversee a six-month outreach and planning process, ideally beginning in July 2025, to develop a plan for re-engaging with city attorneys.
Meet Feroza Freeland, Policy Director of the Southern Office for A Better Balance. She is a Tennessee native who leverages creative advocacy tactics to achieve progress and deliver concrete policy wins for working families in the South.
We take a look at preemption trends in state abusive preemption legislation, even as the new federal landscape further emboldens state lawmakers to advance harmful preemption bills, with a particular focus on anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-DEI legislation.
Throughout the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, local governments have been leaders in securing new rights for LGBTQ+ individuals and families. However, the ability of local officials to lead on LGBTQ+ equality and protect transgender youth is increasingly under assault.
In an effort to carry out the federal administration's agenda on immigration, state governments are stepping in where the federal government is limited and forcing controversial immigration policies on localities through abusive preemption.
Resources About Preemption
LSSC and our partners have developed resources designed to help advocates end state overreach and strengthen the ability of local governments to pass policies that protect health and safety and promote equity. The information, strategies, and tools aggregated here were developed by and for attorneys, elected officials, advocates, and coalitions working to stop the increased misuse of state preemption.
View Resources by Type
Sort our resource library by our four core program areas: Legal, Communications, State Campaigns, and Research.
View Resources by Topic
Use these pages below to segment our resources – and partner resources – by topic area, from immigration to labor to technology.
