State lawmakers have introduced 100+ bills to rein in wealth hoarding

After the Trump administration passed federal tax cuts for the wealthy, state legislators are looking to address wealth inequality with their own policies.

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From housing to healthcare and utilities to groceries, rising prices are increasingly making Americans feel burdened by the cost of living. 

At the same time, the ultra-rich are getting richer, widening the gap between the wealthy and the working class. 

That worsening equality has been buoyed by the Trump administration. Federal policies like his “One Big Beautiful Bill” have cut taxes for corporations and the ultra-rich while slashing social services like Medicaid. 

But states have started fighting back. In the 2026 legislative session alone, lawmakers from at least 19 states have introduced more than 100 bills that look to rein in rampant wealth hoarding, as well as the runaway cost of living. 

And states are uniquely positioned, organizers say, to take action in this moment, particularly through tax laws that could redistribute wealth.

Bills that address tax policies

That 100-plus tally isn’t even a complete count of the effort, says Ida Eskamani, senior director of the State Innovation Exchange’s economic justice initiative. State Innovation Exchange, or SiX, works with state legislators across the country to advance policies that benefit the working class. 

The bills that SiX has tracked so far are a highlight, Eskamani says, of the states where the organization has been particularly hands-on with legislators.

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