The city of Houston is suing Texas over a new law that prevents cities and counties from passing local ordinances that go further than state law in areas like finance, agriculture, labor, and natural resources. H.B. 2127 would also overturn any existing ordinances that violate it.

Critics are calling it the “Death Star” law and say it is designed to usurp the power of progressive cities in the otherwise red state. Some are worried it threatens local LGBTQ+ rights ordinances as well.

Austin City Councilmember Jose “Chito” Vela told KVUE that the bill “threatens local citizens’ way of life in so many ways – it threatens our sick leave mandate, our no-kill animal shelter practices, our tenant protections, our worker protections and our LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance. It is contrary to the rights of home rule cities and the will of the democratically elected people of those cities.”

...Houston’s lawsuit argues that the law not only violates the state constitution, but also uses “vague language so indefinite, awkward, and opaque that it fails to notify Texas cities which of their laws they may enforce or Texas businesses and residents which local laws they must obey.”