Update: This bill was tabled in committee. New post with all the details.
The HB 540 Nanny Bill makes cities ask permission of the state.
The HB 540 Nanny Bill requires home rule cities to ask for the Attorney General’s permission before passing a municipal ordinance. This bill was filed by Rep. Phil King in retaliation of the Denton vote to ban fracking.
Several legislators, including State Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford), have vowed to file bills this session that would prohibit cities from banning fracking. Star-Telegram
BUT HB 540 requires the state’s permission for any “SUBMISSION OF INITIATIVE OR REFERENDUM BALLOT PROPOSALS.” HB 540 means none of the following would be allowed without state’s permission.
- Public securities for parks, street improvements and other infrastructure.
- Public securities for safety such as Police and Fire Departments.
- Sale of alcohol.
- Indoor smoking bans.
- Tree ordinances to protect trees.
- Plastic bag ordinances.
- Bans on texting while driving.
- Limits on location of sexually oriented businesses.
- Limits on panhandling.
- Etc.
This bill is not just about fracking as many of our lawmakers mistakenly believe. This is a broad government overreach!
Take Action:
An easy way to stop this power grab:
It only takes 2 minutes.
If possible, please show up in Austin to speak against this bill at the hearing Wednesday, March 11, 2015.
COMMITTEE: State Affairs
TIME & DATE: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess
PLACE: JHR 140
For more information: Read the Texas Municipal League response to H.B. 540.
DO SOMETHING!
Your city council will be Austin if HB 540 passes.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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Love the graphic.
I have a super fun and talented friend who is teaching me how to make graphics.
I’m already committed to attend the Dallas Green Source Awards at which you, Sharon Wilson, will receive an award for your work with Earthworks in the Professional Non-Profit Category. Too bad you’ll have to miss your own award show, if you are in Austin, but this is truly a critical bill to kill.
I am just one of 3 nominees for the award. Even if people have other commitments, please call and send emails.
I was confused for a moment by the phrase at the end: ‘DO SOMETHING! YOUR CITY COUNCIL WILL BE AUSTIN IF HB 540 PASSES.’ I live in Austin and our city, with our plastic bag ban, indoor smoking ban, texting while driving ban, etc… will come heavily under attack by HB 540. Then I realized that by ‘Austin’ you mean Greg Abbott. I think Austinites will actually be some of the hardest fighters against this bill. We love our healthy, conscious, environmentally-friendly culture here, and don’t understand why the Texas GOP feels threatened by it.
For people who live in the East Texas Piney Woods to those in West Texas and from Abilene to Laredo their local city council will be stripped of the right to make laws and that right will be given to the state attorney general in Austin. No more petitioning your local government on such matters. It will be the same for Austinites.
Texans are not afraid of this. We are afraid of people and towns making decisions based on fear and misinformation that negatively impacts our state and way of life.
Oh really? Because my feedback from Texans is quite different.
I’m a 6th generation Texan and I am afraid of this kind of power grab. I agree that we should “Keep Texas Texas” by rejecting these kinds of abuses of power. Your comment is not Texan.
The phones in Austin are busy today.
Music to my ears.