Texas judge rules Republican-backed law limiting cities' authority unconstitutional

A Texas judge ruled that a Republican-backed law aimed at restricting the authority of Democrat-led cities to pass progressive local ordinances was unconstitutional.
The law, known as House Bill 2127 or the "Death Star Bill", was championed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and supported by business groups.
Democratic city leaders celebrated the ruling as a victory, while state Republicans plan to appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.
The law would have prevented cities from enacting regulations on issues like minimum wage and rest breaks for construction workers without state approval.
Critics argued the law was vaguely written, violated home rule, and represented Republican overreach into local governance.