Texas policy experts celebrated the state’s new preemption law last week, which limits local regulations on businesses.
HB 2127, titled the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act and known to some as the “Death Star Bill,” was a topic of discussion at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s (TPPF) annual summit, which ran March 20-22, as reported by Texas Scorecard. Members praised the law as a way to encourage a more friendly business environment by placing checks on local regulatory power.
Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) said local regulations often “take money out of people’s pockets,” according to Texas Scorecard.
TPPF attorney Chance Weldon said the law was an example of Texas’ strong record on property rights.
“You’re not supposed to treat your city council like it’s your [Homeowners Association],” he said, per Texas Scorecard.
Nichole Nosek of Texans for Reasonable Solutions said building permits have been far too difficult to obtain, which she said should be eased through HB 2127.
“The far left will go to extreme lengths to see that people don’t have property rights,” she said, per Texas Scorecard.
An extensive list of local business leaders previously expressed support for the preemption law to The Dallas Express. Daniel Baldwin, the vice president of technical services for Hawx Pest Control, which has several locations in Texas, said the law was common sense policy in favor of effective business practices.
“While cities can look like they’re trying to make things easier, it’s all a matter of making things consistent — it becomes really challenging when one community has this rule, and another has a different one,” he said. “I think preemption helps everybody. It keeps us on the same playing field.”
Chris Lee, the president and CEO of Texas-based Earthworks Inc., said he “strongly supports” preemption laws because they place regulatory authority in the hands of qualified experts at the state and federal levels.
“Usually, if they do want to act on something, it’s anecdotal. It’s not based on the full research we have at the federal and state level,” Lee previously told The Dallas Express. “Municipalities do not have that level of expertise. Counties do not have that level of expertise. They don’t have those scientists on staff.”
