Bills to Keep Good Jobs In-State

Many state legislatures are concerned about keeping good jobs, especially jobs funded by taxpayers’ money, in the states. Legislation to ensure that state tax dollars are used to create jobs in the state and to stabilize the state tax base by prohibiting state contracts with or assistance for companies that ship work overseas has been introduced in many states in the past few years. Some states are considering requiring companies that violate the job exporting ban to repay the state for work that was performed outside the United States. Such bills also ban violators from receiving contracts or development assistance for five years.

• At least 23 state legislatures have introduced or plan to introduce legislation to stop good jobs from being outsourced.
• At least five states are expected to consider bills to keep jobs in-state in 2007.  
• Read eight myths about outsourcing.
• Read more about the export of U.S. jobs and the impact on working families.
  

Bills on Jobs, Trade and Democracy in the States

State residents and legislators should be able to find out how international trade policy affects the state’s economy and should be able to fight back to protect workers and businesses that are affected by international trade.

• At least 21 state legislatures have introduced or plan to consider ways to protect workers and businesses from the negative impacts of international trade.
• At least 11 states are expected to consider legislation to protect the state’s economy from the impact of international trade in 2007.
  

State Resolutions Against Fast Track Reauthorization  

Several states are passing resolutions asking Congress to create a replacement for the outdated “Fast Track” system so that state legislatures would be informed before their states were bound to any trade agreement that would affect state regulatory authority.

• Read posts on Fast Track from the AFL-CIO Now blog.

For more information, please e-mail stateaction@aflcio.org.