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Public Policy Assignment - Texas Regulatory Consistency Act The Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, also known as the "Death Star" law, aims to preempt local regulations with regulations that will ensure consistency in legislation across the state. This act has led to some conflict between Texas's major cities which are more liberal and Democratic, and the state's administration which is predominantly Republican. In this essay, I will highlight the advantages and disadvantages of this act. In addition, I will demonstrate my position if I were a Texas Legislator. Advantages: In terms of advantages, H.B. 2127 plays a crucial role in limiting misunderstanding and non-compliance with local ordinances. Small business owners, particularly those who have no attorney to inform them about new local ordinances will no longer be fined due to the lack of knowledge of new regulations. The complexity of laws causes people many problems as it is hard to keep track of all the changes. Therefore, this act makes keeping track of regulations easier, and decreases the chance of unintentionally breaking the laws.
Moreover, small business owners will have the chance to have better financial plans and growth opportunities. They will no longer have to spend a ton of money to keep track and comply with new local regulations. In addition, as stated in the “Small Businesses Will Benefit from the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act” article: “This bill also positions Texas to capitalize on the rebounding growth of stateside manufacturing as the “onshoring” trend causes businesses to move away from geopolitical hostiles like China and back to U.S. soil.” This means that H.B. 2127, which unifies and eliminates regulations throughout the state, will make Texas even more appealing to companies. Hence, H.B. 2127 helps Texas take advantage of the onshoring trend, while also making complying with regulations simpler. Disadvantages: In terms of disadvantages, this act will eliminate some local ordinances that are crucial for each local government. For instance, the “heat break ordinance” in Austin and Dallas provides an opportunity for construction workers to take 10-minute breaks every hour of work. This local ordinance limits health issues caused by being exposed to the sun for a long time. In this case, H.B. 2127 presents a problem. Furthermore, the preemption of local ordinance will cause issues that were resolved by local ordinance to come back and increase. Local rules helped reduce employment discrimination when state or federal law did not protect it. Therefore, the removal of this local ordinance will increase the chance that people will face this type of issue again. My position if I were a Texas Legislature: If I were a Texas legislator, I would try to find a solution that suits both the local and state governments. If all power to make decisions is given to the state government, many ideas
National Federation of Independent Business. "Watch: Texas Regulatory Consistency Act Gives Small Business Owners Some Sense of Certainty." NFIB, https://www.nfib.com/content/news/regulatory/watch-texas-regulatory-consistency-act- gives-small-business-owners-some-sense-of-certainty/ Accessed April 13, 2024 NFIB. "Small Businesses Will Benefit from the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act." NFIB, National Federation of Independent Business, https://www.nfib.com/content/news/regulatory/op-ed-small-businesses-will-benefit-from- the-texas-regulatory-consistency-act/ Accessed April 13, 2024 Texas Tribune. "Texas House Approves Bill to Limit Local Control Over Policies." Texas Tribune , Texas Tribune, 18 Apr. 2023, https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/18/texas- house-local-control/ Accessed April 13, 2024
