Confusion surrounds a sweeping law aimed at stopping Texas cities from adopting progressive policies three years after state lawmakers passed it, supporters and critics said Thursday.
The 2023 law, known as the “Death Star” bill, made it illegal for cities and counties to enact local ordinances that go further than certain broad areas of state law. Texas Republicans including Gov. Greg Abbott and business groups long argued the law was needed to undo a “patchwork” of local rules they said made it hard to do business in Texas and to rein in progressive policies in urban cities. Critics including local officials argued the law was overly broad and vague while wiping out key protections like water breaks for construction workers, payday lending ordinances and noise regulations.
