The mandatory auto-enrollment Individual Retirement Accounts that President Obama tonight will say he wants to give all Americans working for small businesses may be coming to a few workers via the states this year.

While Congress is not likely to approve this (and almost any) Obama request, experts say there is a slow movement among the states to bring this retirement savings vehicle to their citizens.

Roughly a half a dozen state legislatures have considered bills for mandatory auto-enrollment IRAs for small private employers during each of the last two years, National Conference of State Legislatures retirement policy expert Luke Martel said.

He and National Association of State Retirement Administrators Research Director Keith Brainerd are expecting the same number this year, though Martel he said he has been getting more calls on the issue.

Illinois recently enacted a mandatory IRA law that is scheduled to begin operating in two years. California and Oregon have completed studies mandated by their state assemblies. But further legislative action would be needed in both to make the IRAs a reality.

At the same time, a Maryland task force looking into the possibility has been stopped by incoming governor Larry Hogan.