Public Citizen Slams TX House Passage of HB 2127
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas House voted today to give initial approval to HB 2127, an overreach of state government power that seeks to nullify community decisions at the city and county levels. Adrian Shelley, Public Citizen’s Texas director, released the following statement:
“With one vote and the fall of the Speaker’s gavel, the House decided to do away with a century of precedent, eroding local control and local democracy. This bill is a gift to corporations that don’t want commonsense local regulations like water breaks for construction workers.
“Local policies exist because voters choose them through their mayors, county commissioners, and other local representatives. It is stunning that House members voted to take away power from their constituents and hand it to corporations.”
HB 2127 preempts cities and counties from regulating anything covered by nine fields of state codes – agriculture, business & commerce, finance, insurance, labor, local government, natural resources, occupations, and property. Local regulations on concrete batch plants, water conservation measures, payday lender regulations, and a slew of others could be nullified by this bill.
HB 2127 will soon head to the Senate, where a companion bill, SB 814, is pending.