The Texas Attorney General announced that HB 2127, legislation passed earlier in 2023, creates a private right of action for citizens to challenge local ordinances that conflict with or are preempted by state law.
The law addresses what state officials characterize as a pattern of local governments enacting ordinances that exceed their authority. Attorney General Ken Paxton has previously stated that "local governments simply cannot selectively ignore state law" and that "municipalities do not get to violate Texas law just because they feel like it."
Paxton's office has previously challenged municipal ordinances including Austin's sick leave ordinance and plastic bag bans in multiple cities. The Attorney General has argued that municipalities lack authority to regulate in areas where the state has established comprehensive regulatory frameworks.