Greg Abbott and other supporters of the bill have long sought laws to roll back local regulations that they say hinder business owners and harm the state's economy. The broader effort by Republican state leaders to prevent cities and counties governed by Democrats from enacting progressive policies that could dramatically limit the ability of local government to dictate regulations in areas such as labor rights, drought restrictions, and even noise complaints could soon become law. The legislation would override any existing regulation that conflicts with it. Opponents of the bill argue that it would eliminate mandatory breaks for construction workers in some cities and restrictions on water use during droughts.
They also warn that local governments could no longer combat predatory lending or invasive species, regulate excessive noise, or enforce non-discrimination ordinances. John Whitmire, a longtime Houston Democrat running for mayor of Houston, said the bill would be the “last nail in the local government's coffin” and would end the concept of “local control”. Republicans have also focused this year on specific local regulations, including bills to prevent local governments from enacting mandates on the use of masks and installing protections for tenants facing eviction. The bill states that the Texas Public Utilities Commission has all the necessary authority to order the Texas Electrical Reliability Council to modify the price of billions in charges after the state's power grid operator imposed a limit on electricity prices during the winter storm.
Religious groups and nonprofit organizations are also concerned that HB 2127 could override local regulations on payday loans and auto title loans that currently exist in 49 cities in Texas. The only sitting member of the PUC, Arthur D'Andrea, told the state Senate last week that he believes it would be illegal to adjust prices retroactively. Newsrooms across the country and in Texas are cutting their coverage, leaving communities with less access to reliable news. Earlier this week, the Texas Senate voted Tuesday, 18 to 13, mostly along party lines, to give final approval to the bill.
However, the bill was quickly read in the Senate and referred to the Senate Jurisprudence Committee for a hearing Monday morning. Democratic senators introduced amendments explicitly stating that the bill would not override local anti-discrimination ordinances, something that, according to its authors, would not affect, and that companies suing local governments would have to show that state law substantially regulates the field of law that local regulations seek to address. Under state law, Paxton is now temporarily suspended from his duties as attorney general and will be awaiting trial in the Senate. The only sitting member of the PUC, Arthur D'Andrea, told the state Senate last week that he does not have the authority to adjust prices retroactively.
While only the governor can call special sessions once the legislature has finished the biennial regular session, the Texas Constitution states that impeachment is the only issue on which state legislators in the House of Representatives and the Senate can meet without the governor, according to Mark Jones, professor of political science at Rice University. The Texas House of Representatives voted 84 to 58 on Friday to accept the senate version of Bill 2127, three days after the upper house approved the bill. The legislation “will cause more evictions, more suffering for low-income people and, ultimately, more economic impact for all Texans, because some of these evicted people will end up homeless and become an even greater cost for Texas taxpayers” said Ben Martin, research director for Texas Housers, a housing defense group for low-income Texans. Dan Patrick hurriedly called a session of the Texas Senate on Monday when members suspended their own rules and took very unusual steps to immediately push through a bill that would force the state utility regulator to cancel billions of dollars in wholesale electricity charges during last month's winter storm.
The filing of SB 2142 came after the deadline for submitting the bill on Friday but the Senate found a way around that rule in one of its boldest procedural measures on Monday. Dan Patrick hurriedly convened a session of the Texas Senate on Monday when members suspended their own rules and took very unusual steps to push through a bill that would force the state utility regulator to cancel billions of dollars in wholesale electricity charges during last month's winter storm. The State Senator for Conroe has been at odds with many energy policy bills proposed by Republican leaders this year. These bills have been met with strong opposition from Democrats who argue they will strip away important local regulations such as mandatory breaks for construction workers in some cities and restrictions on water use during droughts. They also warn that local governments could no longer combat predatory lending or invasive species, regulate excessive noise or enforce non-discrimination ordinances. The most recent energy policy legislation was SB 2127 which was passed by both houses of legislature along party lines with an 18-13 vote in favor by Texas Senate and 84-58 vote by House Representatives respectively.
This bill seeks to force Texas Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to modify prices charged by Texas Electrical Reliability Council (ERC) during winter storms. Arthur D'Andrea who is currently sitting member of PUC has stated his belief that it would be illegal to adjust prices retroactively while Ben Martin from Texas Housers has warned about potential economic impact due to increased evictions resulting from this bill. The only issue on which state legislators can meet without Governor Greg Abbott is impeachment according to Mark Jones from Rice University which means it is unlikely any further action will be taken against this bill unless it is challenged in court.
