NFIB’s Texas state director said today legislation to stop local governments from imposing their own employment rules and regulations would make it easier for small businesses throughout the state to grow and create jobs.
“Our small business members don’t have the time or resources to navigate a confusing and contradictory patchwork of local ordinances that go above and beyond the state requires,” State Director Annie Spilman said.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced the filing of the Consistent Employment Regulations Act today during his speech at NFIB’s annual Small Business Day at the Capitol. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. Brandon Creighton in the Senate and Rep. Craig Goldman in the House.
“Small businesses need consistency,” Spilman said. “Our members believe employment regulations should be set by the Legislature and applied evenly statewide.
“When cities and counties lay their own rules on top of state regulations, it’s a nightmare for small businesses with mobile employees or operations in multiple jurisdictions,” she said. “It can also put small businesses at a real competitive disadvantage if their competitors down the road don’t have the same costly regulatory burdens.”
Spilman said the Consistent Employment Regulations Act is one of NFIB’s top legislative priorities in Texas.
Last spring, NFIB joined the Texas Public Policy Foundation and other business groups in a lawsuit aimed at striking down Austin’s paid sick leave ordinance. In November, the 3rd Court of Appeals declared the ordinance unconstitutional and ordered a district judge to issue a temporary injunction against it while the case is pending.
“The court affirmed our position that when cities overplay their regulatory hand by creating local ordinances that interfere with employers’ ability to run their businesses, they cause imminent and irreparable harm to those businesses,” Spilman said. “Our members are asking their legislators to pass the Consistent Employment Regulations Act so this issue will be settled once and for all.”
