Defend Local Authority Against State Preemption

When a state overrides a city, local voters lose the power to fix local problems.

A letter to your state legislators. Facts checked October 14, 2026.

The explainer behind this letter Preemption When your state can overrule your city, and what your city can still do

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The Letter

Subject Let Our Cities Govern Themselves

In May 2017, St. Louis raised its minimum wage to $10 an hour. That August, a state law cut it back to $7.70. Workers who had already gotten the raise lost it because lawmakers in Jefferson City overruled the city.

That is happening across the country. Twenty-five states now block cities from raising their own minimum wage, and 41 block local gun safety laws. Advocates tracked nearly 850 bills in 2026 sessions that would take more decisions away from local governments.

The people closest to a problem should be allowed to solve it. When a city council passes a rule its residents want, the state should set a floor, not wipe the rule out.

Please vote against bills that strip cities and counties of their power to act, and support repealing the ones already on the books.

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I'm calling to ask the legislator to oppose bills that take away our city's power to pass its own rules.
In 2017, St. Louis workers had their minimum wage cut from $10 back to $7.70 when a state law overrode the city.
Twenty-five states now block local minimum wage laws, and advocates tracked nearly 850 new preemption bills in 2026.
Please vote no on new preemption bills and support repealing the ones that block local wages and paid sick leave.

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The Facts Behind the Ask

850 Preemption bills tracked in 2026 sessions by March 31, up one-third from the same point in 2025 (source)
25 States that block cities from setting a higher minimum wage (EPI, 2025 data) (source)
41 States with broad preemption of local gun laws (Everytown's list of 42, less Colorado, which repealed its ban in 2021) (source)

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