Texas House passes broad restrictions on local regulations.
. Pedigo posits that for the last two decades or so, the thing that has made Texas interesting – and has attracted an average of over 400,000 new residents annually – was a signature, small-c brand of conservatism. In other words, the cornerstone of Texas politics has been defined by a limited government that's closer to the people and held accountable through local elections.
"This is the antithesis of limited government," Pedigo said. He points to Texas cities and schools being funded through local property taxes as evidence that the state has long had an"absentee" relationship with municipalities, as opposed to more top-down states like California or New York. Moreover, the regular legislative session convenes only once every other year for a maximum of 140 days.
This bill's passage in the House culminated years of Republican opposition to progressive policies in Democrat-held cities. In an interview with conservative think tank, Burrows, speaking on his bill, said,"Urban centers [are] beginning to pass all sorts of things they historically have never touched before – the 'Green New Deal' in Dallas trying to ban gas-powered lawn mowers, fracking bans out of Denton, or labor union bills out of Harris County.
Proponents of HB 2127 argue that it will eliminate uncertainty for businesses that extend beyond city limits or county lines. According to Burrows,"If [the state of] Texas already regulates a particular industry or code, we're gonna be the sole people who actually regulate it." Those industries, per the bill, include agriculture, business and commerce, finance, insurance, labor, local government, natural resources, occupations, and property.
Ultimately, this is much more a matter of politics than of policy. Pedigo said,"As you look across the country, cities are governed by progressives. And this is an opportunity to really take that agenda [away] ... I've never met a state that dislikes its cities as much as Texas."
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