Taking a stand.

State lawmakers took an aggressive stand against the federal government imposing its will on state policy during the recent Annual Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Federal preemption of state authority on driver's license security, telecommunications, homeland security and immigration reform were all the subject of state legislators' ire.

"The policy resolutions enacted through the NCSL process are extremely important," said Texas Senator Leticia Van de Putte, NCSL's new president. "States are continually on the cutting edge of public policy. Were it not for NCSL and these policy resolutions, federal policymakers would run amok with their one-size-fits-all approach to policymaking."

Lawmakers took aim at the federal REAl, ID Act telling Congress to fund the cost of implementation--expected to be at least $11.1 billion or repeal it altogether. Currently, Congress has appropriated only $40 million for the law that requires states to revamp their driver's licenses to meet stringent federal standards.

Congress' eagerness to wade into the regulation of new technologies had many state policymakers on edge. Legislators enacted a resolution calling on Congress to allow the market to continue to determine the rate at which new broadband technologies are developed and deployed. Additionally, states took a strong stand against Congress' attempts to meddle in the regulation of video franchising rules. The issue of who can provide video content and where, lawmakers say, is one that is the sole responsibility of state and local governments.

Homeland security has become an "under-funded national expectation," according to a resolution adopted in Nashville. Congress should enter into a "partnership for preparedness" under this resolution, which calls for improving funding for homeland security and natural disaster preparedness by state and local governments.

Immigration reform has received a great deal of attention over the past year despite the fact that Congress has been unable to enact any meaningful reform. A portion of the debate has focused on whether or not illegal immigrants should be eligible for in-state tuition. According to legislators at NCSL's Annual Meeting, that policy decision should be made in the nation's statehouses--not in Washington, D.C.

The resolutions enacted will guide NCSL's lobbying activity in Washington, D.C., over the coming years. NCSL is the only organization that works on behalf of state legislators within the halls of Congress and the administration.