Texas Governor Calls for Sweeping State Preemption Law

Employment Law

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) is pushing for legislation that would establish state law as broadly preempting local ordinances as state lawmakers across the nation are taking aim at the proliferation of local laws with a slew of preemption measures.  "As opposed to the state having to take multiple rifle-shot approaches at overriding local regulations," Gov. Abbott said, "I think a broad-based law by the state of Texas that says across the board, the state is going to pre-empt local regulations, is a superior approach."  Increasingly, Republican-controlled state houses have become battlegrounds against local ordinances from more liberal cities.  On the issue of minimum wage alone, 27 states have passed laws preempting local governments from enacting their own wage levels.  A number of others have passed or are considering preemption measures reigning in local paid leave measures.