states' rights

rights of each individual state to do things such as charge taxes and pass laws (in the United States)

States' rights refers to the idea, in U.S. politics and constitutional law, that U.S. states possess certain rights and political powers in relation to the federal government. A commonly cited source for states' rights is the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights. The states' rights concept is usually used to defend a state law that the federal government seeks to override, or to oppose a perceived violation by the federal government of the bounds of federal authority.
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Noun
1. a doctrine that federal powers should be curtailed and returned to the individual states
(hypernym) doctrine, philosophy, philosophical system, school of thought, ism
(hyponym) nullification
2. the rights conceded to the states by the United States constitution
(hypernym) right