Reforming home rule will look different from state to state, because every state has unique needs that must be addressed. Progress may come sooner in some states than others – but we can’t afford to not push forward. Pursuing home rule reform brings us closer to a reality where government and elected officials are able to fulfill their responsibilities and meet the needs of their communities.

Home rule reform, like abusive preemption, can be difficult to explain – even if you’re doing this work day-in and day-out. That’s why our national table is releasing new message guidance to help advocates make the case for home rule reform and move people to action. This guidance is meant to help you explain what home rule reform is and why action is urgently needed now.

Local communities are losing the power to make their own decisions. Over the past decade, instead of allowing local officials to enact policies that best address local needs, state legislatures have given themselves the power to set local safety, health, economic, and even municipal voting laws. But there is a way to stop the erosion of local decision making. We can counter this abuse of state preemption by updating home rule.

The Local Solutions Support Center has compiled short memos summarizing the nature and scope of local authority in each state.

On February 27, 2020, staff from the Local Solution Support Center and Fordham Law hosted a webinar focused on home rule and discussed findings from the new report, Principles of Home Rule for the 21st Century.

This groundbreaking new framework lays out a vision for rebalancing state and local relations, and provides model constitutional language to encourage legal reform.

This guide provides topline messages, best examples, and language do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when talking about home rule.

This memorandum provides an overview of some substantive and procedural constraints on the latitude of state legislatures to limit local authority and autonomy.