Republican leaders in Congress are rushing to vote this week on a bill that robs women, children, and families of their health care, food, and education – while giving new and costly tax breaks to billionaires.
In the face of sweeping federal attacks that threaten civil rights, public programs, and regulatory safeguards, states are a critical line of defense. State legislators have significant authority to counter harmful federal actions and mitigate their impact. Yet identifying where to focus limited time and resources can be challenging amid a barrage of policy attacks.
This memo from National Women’s Law Center and State Futures outlines four core tools available to state legislators—strategic communications, investigatory powers, legislative action, and litigation—and provides recent examples of each in practice, especially in the fight to protect and advance gender justice which has been under acute attack at the federal level. The memo is intended to serve as a practical reference for deploying state authority in defense of communities and democratic institutions.