A new state law limits what cities can regulate — such as providing water breaks for workers and keeping roosters out of residential neighborhoods. And now four Texas cities are supporting a lawsuit filed by the city of Houston that opposes the new law.
Arlington, Denton, Plano and Waco submitted an amicus brief on Monday urging a Travis County civil court to declare HB 2127 unconstitutional. The law, which would go into effect Sep. 1, bans cities from passing ordinances that regulate beyond what is explicitly stated in state law. It applies to a number of areas, including property and business and commerce.
Attorneys for Arlington, Denton, Plano and Waco said in the brief that the law lacks clarity and would hurt local governments’ ability to address issues impacting their residents.
“Given the uniqueness of each locality, home-rule allows local governments to tailor policies to address the concern of their constituencies,” the brief said.
Houston filed a lawsuit in Travis County against the state of Texas in July. San Antonio joined the suit later that month.
A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
Caroline Love is a Report For America corps member for KERA News.
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