Final answer:
Government laws that mandate state or local government action without providing accompanying funding are known as unfunded mandates.
Step-by-step explanation:
The laws passed by the federal government that impose obligations on state or local governments without providing the necessary funding to cover the costs associated with these laws are called unfunded mandates. These mandates have been a source of contention as they can strain the financial resources of state and local governments that are already responsible for funding various services and programs through their budgets. The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 was passed to provide more transparency and reduce the burden of these mandates on subnational governments.