A state enacts a law requiring manufacturers of electronic devices to include specific recycling instructions for consumers on the product's packaging. However, a federal law already exists mandating uniform labeling standards for such products to minimize compliance burdens on manufacturers. When a manufacturer objects to the state law, arguing that it violates the federal law, what principle best supports their claim?
Sovereign immunity under the Eleventh Amendment
Procedural due process under the Fourteenth Amendment
Preemption under the Supremacy Clause
The Tenth Amendment's reservation of powers to the states
The correct answer is based on the concept of federal preemption under the Supremacy Clause. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution establishes that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws. Preemption can occur explicitly when Congress includes a preemption clause in legislation or implicitly when compliance with both state and federal requirements is impossible or when state law stands as an obstacle to the purposes of the federal law. In this scenario, the federal law's goal of uniformity in labeling directly conflicts with the state's additional requirements, making the state law preempted. Other answers are incorrect as they either misstate the principle or represent unrelated legal concepts, such as state sovereignty or procedural fairness.
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