2025 Scorecard Federalism Scorecard

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 28, 2025, 2:55 PM

This special report prepared by the Center for Practical Federalism at State Policy Network is derived from a 50-state analysis of multiple variables—our Federalism Scorecard—that reveal the vulnerability of states to influence by federal... States that perform well on this Scorecard 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. We include the extent to which state agencies are accountable to legislators in our analysis (rather than simply looking at state–federal relations), because federal agencies often exert power through their state counterparts. If elected officials don’t have visibility and oversight with regard to their own state’s agencies, in other words, they won’t be able to check federal influence over how their own laws and budgets are... The first set of variables assesses the extent to which elected representatives properly govern state agencies, and the second set assesses the extent to which those representatives have visibility and authority over their state’s... This report draws its reform recommendations from the best laws in “red” and “blue” states alike, consistent with the principle that citizens ought to be governed by people they elect.

*Correction: A 5-point adjustment was made to South Carolina’s score due to a scoring error. This update did not affect the state’s overall ranking. Compare with the 2024 Federalism Scorecard The Center for Practical Federalism has released a 2025 “scorecard” of states that are the most and least “vulnerable to federal influence.” Read more here. The Center for Practical Federalism has released a new scorecard ranking the states in their ability to push back against excessive federal agency influence and control. “Rather than a rank ordering of “best” to “worst” states, therefore, our Federalism Scorecard is an index of vulnerability to federal pressure,” reads a line from the report.

Tennessee and Utah are the top of list while Alabama and Montana are rated the most vulnerable states to federal pressure. More from the scorecard: “Our goal is not to cast blame on particular states, policymakers, or political parties. Instead, we are sounding the alarm for every citizen who believes states and communities should govern themselves, and that this governing ought to be done primarily by elected representatives of the people. Tennessee and Utah, both enacted a number of reforms identified in the Federalism Scorecard this past year. Tennessee, most notably, reformed the way it processes federal grants, requiring additional review by the Legislature.” Many scorecards assess and rank places where people live, often implying that you’re much better off in some places than others.

Our Federalism Scorecard makes no claims about where Americans should live, only that they should protect the places they love. We offer specific recommendations for American communities to combat the hidden but growing danger of federal overreach. DC politicians from both parties are finding creative ways to impose their will on states and communities, without regard to what citizens actually want. Fortunately, there are many steps state policymakers can take to protect the people who elected them. Want to help protect your state from federal overreach? These resources can help you understand your state’s ranking and know what actions to take to strengthen the capacity of your elected representatives.

Sign up to receive up-to-date reports and data. Our Federalism Scorecard will be updated annually. Throughout the year we will publish state-specific recommendations. SPN’s Center for Practical Federalism aims to educate the American public and policymakers on the benefits of federalism—a system of government where some authority belongs to the national government, and much more resides with... Federalism pushes power where it belongs, to citizens acting through their elected representatives, and it ensures that no one branch of government exerts too much power. Federalism also enables experimentation with policy solutions tailored to states and communities.

When policy is local, it takes into account unique community conditions, is more easily influenced by everyday citizens, and thereby leads to better outcomes for more of the people it governs. What’s more, the diverse array of policies that inevitably result under federalism allow us to learn what works better than a single, top-down approach. The Center for Practical Federalism is launching a number of initiatives to educate state and local officials, as well as interested citizens, about the need to preserve state and local governing authority against overreach... It will also offer training and resources for public officials interested in more effectively overseeing governmental agencies, thereby making them accountable to we the people. SPN’s Center for Practical Federalism was a 2023 nominee for the Gregor G. Peterson Prize in Venture Philanthropy.

American Habits, shows readers—citizens and lawmakers alike—what is possible and what can be accomplished through local governance. The State Policy Network’s 2025 Federalism Scorecard found Tennessee to be the least vulnerable state to federal agency pressure and influence. The scorecard, published by the State Policy Network’s Center for Practical Federalism, evaluates how vulnerable each state is to federal government influence, particularly through state agencies and the conditions attached to federal grants, and... All 50 states are ranked based on two sets of variables that assess the extent to which elected representatives properly govern state agencies and the extent to which those representatives have visibility and authority... Tennessee received the highest ranking with a score of 67.18. Utah was ranked second with a close score of 66.34.

The will of Tennesseans should always come before the wishes of D.C. bureaucrats. Thanks to strong conservative leadership from our Republican supermajority, Tennessee is ranked the #1 LEAST VULNERABLE state to federal overreach. The Volunteer State leads the nation in protecting… pic.twitter.com/mrxwkMpHeb Kentucky’s junior U.S. Senator Rand Paul, R-Bowling Green, has introduced the Health Marketplace and Savings Accounts for All Act, to make all Americans eligible for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

WRIC 8 News reported that a beloved and influential Richmond pastor passed away on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, after more than four decades of serving the community. Rev. Dr. A. Lincoln James, Jr., was the beloved pastor of Richmond’s Trinity Baptist Church for 45 years, according to a December 18 Facebook post from the church. Having served the same community for so long, James was well known, and many people benefited from his leadership.

CALIFORNIA – Riverside County district attorney Mike Hestrin announced December 2 that he, along with 37 other county DAs and two City Attorneys, reached a settlement with Panda Express. This is the story atheists love to use to attack the Bible. Elisha is walking down a road, and a group of "little children" mock him, shouting, "Go up, you baldhead!" Elisha curses them, and two female bears come out of the woods and maul 42... Transparency around the Epstein files became a stress test for whether laws still constrain those in charge—or merely inconvenience them. Political fatigue and public disengagement are no longer signs of apathy but symptoms of sustained institutional abuse. 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... 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... 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. The Scorecard will be updated annually. Sign up below to be notified of the latest rankings. Staff | Related Media | American Habits | Federalism Scorecard SPN’s Center for Practical Federalism aims to educate the American public and policymakers on the benefits of federalism—a system of government where some authority belongs to the national government, and much more resides with... Federalism pushes power where it belongs, to citizens acting through their elected representatives, and it ensures that no one branch of government exerts too much power.

Federalism also enables experimentation with policy solutions tailored to states and communities. When policy is local, it takes into account unique community conditions, is more easily influenced by everyday citizens, and thereby leads to better outcomes for more of the people it governs. What’s more, the diverse array of policies that inevitably result under federalism allow us to learn what works better than a single, top-down approach. The Center for Practical Federalism is launching a number of initiatives to educate state and local officials, as well as interested citizens, about the need for preserving state and local governing authority against overreach... It will also offer training and resources for public officials interested in more effectively overseeing governmental agencies, thereby making them accountable to we the people. Our online publication, American Habits, shows readers—citizens and lawmakers alike—what is possible and what can be accomplished through local governance.

2025 Scorecard Federalism Scorecard

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This Special Report Prepared By The Center For Practical Federalism

*Correction: A 5-point Adjustment Was Made To South Carolina’s Score

Tennessee And Utah Are The Top Of List While Alabama

Our Federalism Scorecard Makes No Claims About Where Americans Should

Sign Up To Receive Up-to-date Reports And Data. Our Federalism