Lopez

Police Power

The inherent, reserved power of a state to regulate conduct and property for the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare. It is a power of the states (and their subdivisions), not of the federal government, which has no general police power; it is reserved by the Tenth Amendment and predates the Constitution. Crucially for movement arguments, it is not derived from the commerce power and is not contractual or consensual — which is why 'I did not consent' and 'show me the commercial nexus' do not reach it.