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 measures how effectively states empower their elected representatives and maintain control over their own administrative processes.
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 over their state’s engagement with federal agencies.
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
— TN House Republicans (@tnhousegop) December 1, 2025
Montana ranked as the most vulnerable state to federal influence, with a score of -13.56.
Among other variables, the scorecard specifically recognized Tennessee state legislators’ work in passing a bill earlier this year that implemented a new process requiring state agencies to notify and, in some cases, obtain approval from the Tennessee General Assembly before requesting or accepting federal grant money.
Further, the scorecard recognized Tennessee as being the only state in the nation that guarantees every citizen affected by a state agency’s action they believe is unconstitutional or illegal an opportunity to seek an injunction until the legality of that action is determined.
Tennessee was also given the nod for its law requiring the state’s Department of Education to disclose federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and provide it to the General Assembly.
The Tennessee House Republican Caucus said the Volunteer State’s ranking in the 2025 Federalism Scorecard is a testament to “strong conservative leadership” from the Republican supermajority.
“The will of Tennesseans should always come before the wishes of D.C. bureaucrats,” the Republican Caucus said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
