Do you live in a red state, a blue state, or one where Republicans and Democrats share power?
Your answer could be the best indicator of what to expect from your governor and state lawmakers when President-elect Donald Trump takes office and the legislature reconvenes.
In many cases, identification with a political party determines public policy and extends from the nation’s capital to the 50 statehouses.
Many Republican state officials are embracing Trump’s policies, for example by promising to lend a hand him fight illegal immigration. Some Democratic state officials are building a resistance movement and looking for ways to protect their states from possible federal policies that would restrict abortion and transgender rights, among other things. Some prominent Democratic governors have now taken a more conciliatory approach to building a working relationship with the fresh administration.
Here’s what to expect in some policy areas:
immigration
Governors and lawmakers in red states are standing behind Trump’s promise to crack down on illegal immigration and deport many people living in the U.S. illegally. A joint statement from 26 Republican governors said they were “ready to use every tool at our disposal – whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard – to support President Trump in this vital mission.”
Republican lawmakers in a growing number of states are proposing to give local law enforcement officials the power to arrest people who have entered the country illegally. This reflects a recent Texas law that has been put on hold while courts consider whether it unconstitutionally usurps federal authority. A bill in Missouri would offer a $1,000 reward for informants who tip authorities about people who are in the country illegally, allowing private bounty hunters to find and arrest them.
Governors in some blue states are taking a wait-and-see approach to Trump’s immigration plans, willing to cooperate in deporting people who commit crimes but not in using the National Guard to carry out large-scale raids on immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
Other Democratic-run jurisdictions are preparing for a showdown. The California Legislature has called a special session to put up shields against Trump’s immigration policies and other issues.
abortion
Most abortions in the United States are performed using medication rather than surgery, and that is exactly what the current abortion fight is focused on.
At least four states — Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire and Tennessee — have introduced bills aimed at banning the pills. None are taking the same approach as Louisiana, which classified the drugs as controlled threatening substances last year.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a New York doctor, claiming she falsely prescribed medication via telemedicine and sent pills to a Texas woman, despite a New York law aimed at protecting such prescriptions.
And the Republican attorneys general of Idaho, Kansas and Missouri are going to court to overturn federal approval of one of the pills commonly used in abortions.
Training
Several attempts to expand the employ of public money to pay for children to attend private school suffered major defeats in the November elections, including in Nebraska, Kentucky and Colorado.
But Trump’s victory is seen as a boon for such efforts, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. A dozen states, almost all red states, have programs that allow any student to apply for state funding for private education, including at religious schools.
With Trump in office, states could see more incentives like flat-rate grants or tax breaks to adopt or expand models like vouchers that subsidize private school tuition for families. Texas, for example, is expected to gain momentum on the school choice front, with a number of voucher proponents winning seats in the Legislature.
Many conservative states are also pushing to integrate Christianity into K-12 public schooling, for example by requiring schools to teach the Bible and display the Ten Commandments. Trump has promised to promote prayer and Bible reading in schools, with current courts of religion more accessible in public spaces, including schools.
In Texas, officials approved a curriculum in November that combines language instruction with Bible instruction, and the state superintendent in Oklahoma has tried to mandate Bible instruction.
Diversity
Efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Republican-led states are expected to boost under Trump, who has vowed to eliminate perceived “wokeness” in education. More higher education institutions could join those already cutting diversity offices in states like Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas.
Attorneys general and legislatures in red states are also likely to pressure the private sector to limit DEI initiatives. A Tennessee law establishes a model that prohibits financial institutions from considering a customer’s participation in “diversity, equity and inclusion training.”
Transgender issues
Republican lawmakers are expected to continue pushing for restrictions on the rights of transgender people, particularly transgender minors.
More than 30 such bills have been proposed in Texas. Although gender-affirming care for transgender minors is banned in Texas and other states, there are calls to go further and, for example, ban Medicaid and other federally funded government programs from spending on gender-affirming care for people of all ages.
During his campaign last year, Trump attacked the rights of transgender people, signaling a looming shift in federal policy.
The future of some measures could depend on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected this year on whether Tennessee has the right to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
Most Republican-controlled states already have laws banning or restricting gender-specific care of minors and the participation of transgender women and girls in women’s and girls’ sports. Some also dictate which school bathrooms transgender people can employ.
Public Health
As a fresh presidential administration has suggested that fluoride and vaccines could be in the crosshairs, lawmakers in some states have filed bills that would end fluoridation programs and further restrict COVID-19 regulations.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, a lawyer without a degree in medicine or public health, has called fluoride “industrial waste” and said in a Nov. 2 post on X that the Trump Government will “advise all US water systems” to stop fluoride from entering water. Adding tiny amounts of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century because it prevents tooth decay.
Arkansas lawmakers have filed bills to repeal a statewide fluoridation program and allow local public water systems to hold elections so residents can decide whether to put fluoride in their water. Montana also has a proposed law to “ban the use of fluoride,” although the full text of the bill is not yet available.
Vaccination laws and regulations still apply in state governments. Alabama may consider changing its vaccination laws to require parental consent to vaccinate minors age 14 and older; Currently, children of this age can decide whether they want to receive medical services. Wyoming has a bill that would impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 on a business or entity that receives state or federal money if it is found to discriminate against someone based on whether someone wears a mask , has received a COVID-19 vaccination or been tested for COVID 19.
It is not clear whether this or other bills will be considered.
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Associated Press writers Jesse Bedayn, Erica Hunzinger, Andrew DeMillo and Alia Wong contributed to this report.
