Three Dallas residents took the city to court this week, challenging dozens of local rules they say break a state law passed in 2023. This law, nicknamed the "Death Star" by its critics, stops cities and counties in Texas from making rules that go beyond what state law allows.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Denton County District Court, claims that about 83 Dallas ordinances should be overturned. These include protections for LGBTQ+ people, rules requiring city contractors to pay a living wage, and noise limits in parks and recreational areas. The lawsuit also targets city rules about ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft at Dallas Love Field Airport, valet parking, and gas drilling inside city limits.
Matthew Chiarizio, a senior lawyer for the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation representing the plaintiffs, said the goal is to prevent Dallas from adding multiple overlapping rules. “Cities don’t get to pick which state laws they follow,” Chiarizio said. He added that the state law helps protect Texans from too many local regulations.
Dallas city officials declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing ongoing litigation.
The state law was pushed through by Governor Greg Abbott, GOP lawmakers, and business groups. They say the law is needed because a patchwork of local rules creates problems for businesses and slows economic growth. The law also reflects Republicans’ efforts over the past decade to limit the power of large cities, many of which are run by Democrats.
Opponents of the law argue it blocks cities from protecting their residents with rules like water breaks for construction workers or noise limits.
After the law passed, Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso tried to block it in court. A judge in Travis County initially ruled the law unconstitutional, but that decision was reversed by the Third Court of Appeals this July. This overturned ruling opened the door for the Dallas lawsuit to proceed.
This case could be the first big moment for the law, with the potential to erase many local protections in Dallas if the court sides with the plaintiffs. It may also signal how much control cities will have over local rules going forward in Texas.