The Trump administration has vowed to roll back all sorts of federal regulations, from workplace safety standards to environmental protections. 

State and local governments have faced pressure from the White House to comply with this agenda. And it’s turned them into even more important battlegrounds in the regulatory wars.

“What happens at the local level and at the state level influences education, economic opportunities, health care,” said Liane Jollon, executive director of Western Leaders Network. “It influences protection of our public lands and what we'll be able to do to protect the climate in the future.”

On the show today, Jollon explains what kind of regulatory power state and local governments have now, how local officials grapple with threats of funding cuts coming from the White House, and how you can get more involved in your state and local politics.

Later, listeners share some love for public libraries. And, Steve Pierson, co-host of “The Practivist Pod,” answers the Make Me Smart question. 

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "States Ramping Up Regulations Amid Federal Pullback" from Forbes 

• "Trump administration moves to repeal climate ‘holy grail’" from Politico

• "Texas House issues arrest warrants for Democrats who left state to block congressional redistricting" from The Texas Tribune

• "Donald Trump wants states and cities to do as they are told" from The Economist

• "The Documenters Network" from City Bureau 

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