Tennessee has been ranked the least vulnerable state in the country to federal agency influence in the 2025 Federalism Scorecard released by the Center for Practical Federalism.
The report measures how much control each state keeps over its own agencies and how much room federal agencies have to influence state decisions, especially through grants and regulatory guidance.
Tennessee finished first with a score of 67.18, followed by Utah and Idaho. The report credits several laws passed in the last year, including a new process that requires the Legislature to review more federal grant proposals before state agencies can move forward.
In a post on X responding to the ranking, Tennessee House Republicans said, “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.”
Researchers said Tennessee scored well because lawmakers have stronger oversight powers than in most states, courts give less automatic deference to state agencies, and some departments must publicly disclose certain types of federal guidance they receive.
The report also notes that Tennessee is the only state that gives citizens a straightforward legal path to request an injunction when they believe a state agency has acted unlawfully.
The authors say the scorecard is meant to show how exposed each state is to federal pressure, not to judge their policies. They focus on whether elected officials or unelected agency staff have the final say over key decisions.
Tennessee’s top ranking reflects changes made over the last year and shows the state has added more checks on how its agencies handle federal rules and funding.
