State lawmakers oppose federal intrusion

NASHVILLE, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- State lawmakers took a firm stand against Washington's intrusion on their turf in their annual convention in Nashville.

Key issues taken up by delegates to the National Conference of State Legislatures meeting included homeland security, education funding, telecommunications, food labeling and Washington lobbying, the legislators said in a news release.

"The federal government continues to place obstacles in the way of innovative state public policy," said Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, NCSL's newly elected president.

"Federal preemption and unfunded mandates hamper state legislators' ability to meet the needs of their constituents," she said, adding that they hope their Washington counterparts will take the hint from policy state legislators hope to implement that "their one-size-fits-all approaches to public policy is out of touch with the rest of the country."