SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 6, 2023) – “I’ve had employees with six figures in their 401K plans, that I don’t think they would have had if I was forced to [comply with] a paid sick leave [mandate],” said NFIB Small Business Owner Member Lisa Fullerton. “And I’m not against paid sick leave. I’m against somebody telling me, ‘You must do this.’”

In an interview with News 4 / Fox San Antonio’s Mariza Mendoza, Fullerton explained why she and so many other small business owners support the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act. During the conversation, Fullerton said:

“One of the reasons we’ve been effective and managed to stay in business in San Antonio for 23 years is we’ve offered great benefits. We’ve had sick, vacation, paid time off, we’ve had insurance benefits.”

For years, a handful of Texas cities, including San Antonio, attempted to regulate private employment practices with mandates and ordinances. Although those efforts were blocked by the courts, the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act clarifies that business and labor standards are maintained under state and federal law.

WATCH: San Antonio Small Businesswoman Testifies in Support of the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act

Background:

The Texas Regulatory Consistency Act went into effect on Friday, September 1, 2023. The law clarifies that business and labor standards are maintained under state and federal law, while more narrowly focused law on health, safety, and permitting of businesses will still fall under local authority. This clarification will help small business owners better comply with regulations, rather than being burdened by the complexity of multiple jurisdictions of law over their business practices.

NFIB Texas, a member of the Alliance for Securing and Strengthening the Economy in Texas (ASSET), joined the business coalition in filing an amicus brief in the case City of Houston vs. The State of Texas. NFIB Texas is committed to defending the constitutionality of the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act.

The law was approved by the House on a bipartisan basis in April, before passing the Senate in May. NFIB and local job creators testified before both the House and Senate in support of the bill, with one NFIB member saying: “We need the protection of the state, when it comes to cities telling us how to run our businesses.”

READ: FACT CHECK: Patchwork of Regulations Threatens Texas Small Business Owners