The State of the State Legislatures
The New American publishes the Freedom Index, which rates U.S. representatives and senators on their adherence to constitutional principles such as limited government and fiscal responsibility. Since 2022, we’ve expanded to include state Legislative Scorecards, rating state legislators across all 50 states. These Scorecards highlight the influence state legislators have on daily life, often more so than federal officials. Each year, 594 key votes are selected — six from the upper house and six from the lower house in each state, as well as from Nebraska’s unicameral chamber — reflecting legislators’ commitment to these principles. Higher scores indicate stronger adherence to the Constitution. Our research department reviewed every 2023 vote to identify the five best and worst pieces of legislation for the state Scorecards, in alignment with The John Birch Society’s action projects.
UN Agenda 2030 and Property Rights
Tennessee’s SB1147 deserves high praise. The bill counters the UN’s globalist Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030, which aim to control economies and societies under the guise of “climate change” and the Covid-19 pandemic. These agendas, often framed as “Sustainable Development Goals,” include efforts to control the food supply and enforce leftist policies via Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. SB1147 prohibits state and local policies that infringe on private-property rights without due process. This includes policies tied to Agenda 21, Agenda 2030, and the UN’s net-zero emission goals, as well as any international laws conflicting with the U.S. or state constitution. This model legislation should be replicated nationwide to push back against globalism.
Other states also acted against Agenda 2030 and globalist policies. As noted in our 2023 Scorecards, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, and West Virginia either banned or attempted to prohibit companies in the financial sector from implementing “social credit scores” to influence their customers’ purchases and business activities. These states also blocked or worked to block ESG criteria from being used in investment and contracting decisions for state and local governments. Meanwhile, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming had bills to protect property rights and prevent land grabs for projects such as carbon-capture pipelines. Conversely, Indiana and West Virginia supported carbon-sequestration initiatives.
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