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...