Adopting laws in the form of ____ gives the local jurisdiction the use of state laws as their basis, but then allows addition or deletions to regulations or ordinances based on local needs.

• A. Adopting by reference
• B. Ordinances
• C. Home rule
• D. Enabling acts

Answer: (D)

The idea is that state authority can authorize local jurisdictions to use state laws as the starting point for their own regulations, but with the flexibility to tailor them to local needs. This comes from enabling acts, which are statutes that grant municipalities or counties the power to regulate within a framework set by the state, while allowing additions or deletions in their local regulations to address specific conditions, risks, or priorities in their area.

Adopting by reference would simply incorporate another document into local law without establishing a mechanism for local modification. Ordinances are the final local rules themselves, not the mechanism that links state law to local tailoring. Home rule provides broad self-governance under a local charter but doesn’t specifically describe using state laws as a base with local amendments through enabling authority.