Introduction
From the election of Donald Trump, to congressional gridlock, to Brexit, 2016 was a year of heightened political activity. Some changes were expected, while others came as a surprise. As we see the pendulum swing back to the right in the White House, GOP lawmakers and governors also won big across the country in the historic November elections. With Republican leadership at the executive level, control of congress and 33 red governor’s mansions, a push to return power to the states is already mounting. At the federal level we will see a focus on repealing the Affordable Care Act, immigration reform, trade deals, tax cuts and increased infrastructure spending. These same themes trickle down and will be the focus of lawmaking throughout blue and red states alike this session.
In this report, we look back at some key policy developments from 2016 and how they will play out this year in state houses across the country.
