National League of Cities to Study State Preemption of Local Laws

The mission of the National League of Cities is to advocate for cities—and the organization is now gathering evidence to push back on growing amount of state preemption of local control.

1 minute read

March 27, 2018, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Main Street

Doug Kerr / Flickr

The National League of Cities is pushing back on a wave of threats to local control by states in every part of the country. The National League of Cities calls the expansion of state control "preemption," and it's re-upping its research efforts into the economic effect of preemption with a three-year research grant by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

According to an article announcing the funding, the National League of Cities "[posits] that preemption is negatively affecting the entrepreneurial ecosystems of cities and thereby impeding growth and innovation in city economies." The forthcoming research will "test this hypothesis through rigorous analysis and quantitative research to provide data on the ultimate impact of these misguided policy dichotomies between state and city."

The article notes that the research is coning at a "critical time" in the political debate that pits state versus local municipalities. According to analysis published by the National League of Cities in 2017, "Preemption, or the use of state law to nullify a municipal ordinance or authority, has proliferate in recent years, particularly in economic development-related policy areas, including minimum wage, municipal broadband and the sharing economy."

Friday, March 23, 2018 in CitiesSpeak

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

3 hours ago - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

5 hours ago - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

5 hours ago - Missouri Independent