Guidance documents bypass legislature and voters, change state policy
Delafield, Wis. – The Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) released a new report on Wednesday detailing how federal agencies are quietly steering Wisconsin policy through informal “guidance documents,” often bypassing state legislative oversight.
THE FINDINGS: IRG’s research identified at least 14 instances across five major state agencies — including the Departments of Natural Resources, Health Services, Agriculture, Transportation, and the Wisconsin Elections Commission — where federal directives influenced state rules or decisions.
WHY IT MATTERS: Bureaucrats in Washington D.C. are quietly dictating policy in Wisconsin through guidance documents, bypassing state lawmakers and the public with minimal scrutiny. According to IRG polling, 32% of Wisconsinites say the Legislature should make major policy decisions, while only 8% favor state bureaucrats doing so.
THE QUOTE:
“Unelected federal bureaucrats often set policy for Wisconsin from behind the scenes, often unbeknownst to the people’s duly elected representatives,” said Jake Curtis, IRG General Counsel. “Our elected officials, not bureaucrats in Washington, should be calling the shots. Wisconsin must lead the way in reminding Washington and state leaders that our Constitution starts with the states, not the other way around.”
WHAT’S NEXT:
Jake Curtis will testify on the contents of this report at a joint Wisconsin Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs and Assembly Committee on Government Operations, Accountability, and Transparency hearing at 10:00AM on Thursday.
