Posted on by Randy Slovacek

Texas Bill Could Revoke Local LGBTQ Protections

Scorched earth, apocalyptic sign reading 'Welcome to Texas' Texas Republicans are currently advancing new legislation that would basically overturn local regulations across the state from LGBTQ rights ordinances to water restrictions during droughts.
(image via Depositphotos)

Texas Republicans are currently advancing new legislation that would basically overturn local regulations across the state from LGBTQ rights ordinances to water restrictions during droughts.

The move is an apparent effort to weaken bluer cites and counties in the Lone Star state.

From the Texas Tribune:

A bill backed by Gov. Greg Abbott and business lobbying groups, House Bill 2127, would bar cities and counties from passing regulations — and overturn existing ones — that go further than state law in a broad swath of areas including labor, agriculture, natural resources and finance.

It passed the Texas House by a 92-56 vote Wednesday after clearing an initial vote the previous day.

Democrats on Tuesday sought explicit carve outs for local laws including nondiscrimination ordinances and protections against workplace sexual harassment but those measures failed.

Supporters of the bill say city and county regulations hamper local businesses. But the economic growth in Texas over the past decade doesn’t support that argument.

The vast majority of such local ordinances that Republicans oppose are primarily found in the state’s largest metropolitan areas (San Antonio, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston) which comprise almost 70% of the state’s economic output.

Related: Texas Senate Approves ‘License To Discriminate’ 

The irony here, of course, is Republicans historically have stood for less ‘big government’ interfering in ‘local government. But in this instance, the Texas GOPers seem to have reversed course.