State Constitutional Law
The term “state constitutional law” represents an important subfield of American constitutional law. Most references to “constitutional law” by either legal or judicial professionals,…
Interlocal Relations
The American governmental system is extremely fragmented, with more than 89,000 units of local government. According to the 2012 census, local governments included about…
Interstate Relations
All national constitutions establishing a federal system divide exercisable powers between the national government and state governments, provide for concurrent powers including taxation, and…
Local Government
Local governments are organized closest to where people live in order to meet community needs, solve problems, and deliver basic life amenity services. In…
Federal-Local Relations
There is a strong commitment to states’ rights in American political culture, and an even deeper dedication to local control. As a result many…
State Constitutions
The final quarter of the twentieth century brought a resurgence of interest in state constitutions, as lawyers, law professors, and, most famously, U.S. Supreme…
Extradition and Rendition
Extradition and rendition refer to the process of returning a person accused of a crime in one state back to the state where the…
State Government
American state governments have primary responsibility for education, economic development, transportation infrastructure, some environmental regulation, and the implementation of income support programs. State agencies…
Public Administration
Public administration has been described as the fourth branch of government (the bureaucracy). In many ways public administration is about governance or the capacity…
Interstate Compacts
According to the Compact Clause (Article I, Section 10) of the U.S. Constitution, states have the authority to enter into compacts with each other…
Home Rule
Also referred to as local control, community autonomy, and self-governance, home rule is the principle that local governments in the American federal system should…
Crosscutting Requirements
Crosscutting requirements are a specific type of mandate. They impose requirements or conditions on all grants and programs involving federal money. These requirements apply…
