In general, matters that lie entirely within state borders are the exclusive concern of state governments. These include internal communications; regulations relating to property, industry, business, and public utilities; the state criminal code; and working conditions within the state. Within this context, the federal government requires that state governments must be democratic in form and that they adopt no laws that contradict or violate the federal Constitution or the laws and treaties of the United States. There are many areas of overlap between state and federal jurisdictions. Particularly in recent years, the federal government has assumed ever broadening responsibility in such matters as health, education, welfare, transportation, and housing and urban development. But where the federal government exercises such responsibility in the states, programs are usually adopted on the basis of cooperation between the two levels of government, rather than as an imposition from above.

The constitutions of the various states differ in some details but generally follow a pattern similar to that of the federal Constitution, including a statement of the rights of the people and a plan for organizing the government. On such matters as the operation of businesses, banks, public utilities, and charitable institutions, state constitutions are often more detailed and explicit than the federal one. Each state constitution, however, provides that the final authority belongs to the people, and sets certain standards and principles as the foundation of government.

• Full Text State Statutes and Legislation University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Graduate School of Library and Information Science
• The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
• State Laws - Nolo
• State Laws and Published Ordinances - Firearms
• StateLaw - State Government and Legislative Information Washburn University School of Law
• State Laws by Topic FindLaw
• State Statutes by Topic Cornell University Law School, Legal Information Institute
• U.S. State and Territorial Laws Internet Law Library, LawGuru

• State by State Summaries of Death Penalty Laws. (Michigan State Univ) Brief overviews of the death penalty by state, for those states that allow capital punishment

• Illicit Drug Policies: Selected Laws from the 50 States

• State Laws and Published Ordinances - Firearms In complying with Gun Control Act of 1968

• Lawyer Demographics
  Statistical reports & research sites dealing with lawyer demographics including gender, age, employment, law firm diversity, etc. 
• Mandatory CLE State Requirements - American Bar Association, Continuing legal education requirements from each of the 40 states which mandate it.
• NALP Research (National Association for Law Placement) - Provides statistics on topics such as: diversity & demographics, legal career professionals, recent graduates, recruitment & hiring, salaries & compensation.
• National Lawyer Population by State
• Salaries Salaries of legal & related jobs
• Women in Law Collection of statistical reports, factbooks & commissions pertaining to women in the law.

• Council of State Governments
• Grading the States 2005 Government Performance Project
• National Council of State Legislatures
• National Governors Association
• State Legislative History Research Guides on the Web
• State Legislatures, State Laws and State regulations Website links and telephone numbers
• State and Local Governments
• Stateline.org Source for State News - Pew Center for the States
• The 50 States of the United States: Capital Cities and Information Links
• US State Abbreviations State Capitals, State Government Links