The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution helps to define the governmental powers allocated to the federal government and the governmental powers allocated to the state governments—a concept known as federalism. The Tenth Amendment provides that “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
In Texas, as in all states, the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution plays a crucial role in determining the division of powers between the federal government and the state government. This amendment is a cornerstone of American federalism, ensuring that any powers not explicitly granted to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved for the states or the people. This means that the state of Texas retains a broad scope of powers to legislate and govern in areas not covered by federal law. These areas typically include matters such as education, local law enforcement, public health, and transportation, among others. The Tenth Amendment thus provides a legal framework that allows Texas to operate with a degree of autonomy within the federal system of the United States.
