Bill that would limit local government regulations hits home for some supporters, opponents in Dallas
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – A bill advancing in the Texas Legislature would limit local government regulations in an effort to make it easier for businesses to operate throughout the state.
Greg Brown, owner of W.W. Cannon, Inc. in Dallas said, "It should be consistent across the state."
Brown has operated in Dallas for 27 years and during that time, he has also opened offices in Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
He told CBS News Texas Wednesday he supports House Bill 2127, which among other things would ensure that cities and counties can't adopt ordinances that would regulate how much businesses pay their employees and how many breaks and other benefits they'd have to provide them. "If they didn't pass this law and municipalities begin to regulate my business, then in the state of Texas, I'm looking at over 1,400 municipalities that could possibly tell me I couldn't do this or that."
Brown has been a member of the National Federation of Independent Businesses which has strongly advocated for the legislation.
Right now, Brown said complying with all regulations costs him as much as 5% of his business expenses. "Yes, it's a lot of money."
If the bill becomes law, it will eliminate some current local government ordinances.
That includes an ordinance in Dallas that passed in 2015.
It requires all workers on a construction site to receive a 10-minute break for every four hours they work.
Hector Reyes Jr., assistant business manager at IBEW Local 20 told CBS News Texas he and his union and others strongly oppose the bill. "These breaks are extremely helpful. You get to find shade when out on these projects that are outdoors, drink water, kind of replenish everything you're losing being out in the Texas heat. "
Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer is among the mayors across the state who say this will hurt their cities.
He spoke with CBS News Texas about the provisions in the bill. "They take away our ability to do certain things. The challenge is not to go so far into one direction, that we lose our ability to serve our residents."
The bill passed the House last week and heads to the Senate where it will be heard and also likely approved.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is among the Republicans who support the legislation. "Texans need to know that the law is pretty much consistent across the state."
In an interview with CBS News Texas last week, he discounted criticisms by local leaders. "So when they say get out of our business, I represent those voters too. Those voters reach out to us, and many aren't happy with big blue cities and some of those ordinances that are passed."
Democratic State Senator Nathan Johnson disagreed.
He told CBS News Texas, "To have a blanket, wiping out of local governance is effectively to wreck our cities and go back about 110 years of local control that has served this state so very, very well. "
For Brown and Reyes Jr., this bill being debated at the Capitol hits home.
Reyes Jr. said, "This bill is hurting the people who are out here building Texas and their families."
"Texas is a great place to work and we want to keep it that way. We think consistency across the board in employment law is the way to do it."
