Local Control in Texas. 70% of students will successfully analyze the concept and consequences of local control in Texas, using current examples of local control issues.

Program-Level Objectives met with this assignment:

• Personal Responsibility
• Social Responsibility
• Communication
• Critical Thinking Skills

Course-Level Objectives met with this assignment:

• Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
• Analyze the state and local election process.
• Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
• Analyze issues, policies and political culture of Texas

Activity for Assessment:

SLO #3: Local Control in Texas. 70% of students will successfully analyze the concept and consequences of local control in Texas, using current examples of local control issues.

Texas is a small-government state. Its politicians, of all stripes, bemoan the intrusion of the federal government, yet the 84^th legislature acted to impose its will on local government in a number of areas.

Read: http://www.oaoa.com/editorial/views/texas_opinion/article_80359ff6-c350-11e4-af25-0343156c5790.html [this is a pro-local control Texas interest group. Read their page, and see what they believe]

Local Control Texas

Texas View: Don't undermine local control

March 5, 2015

| San Antonio Express News

Posted online in the Odessa American

Gov. Greg Abbott got the ball rolling, which is funny coming from a guy who, as attorney general, routinely decried the tyranny of federal overreach and national government’s alleged meddling with Texas values.

The issue is so-called pre-emption, bills that limit local control. This is what Abbott was encouraging when he warned about Texas being “California-ized.”

“This is being done at the city level with bag bans, fracking bans, tree-cutting bans. We’re forming a patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulations that is eroding the Texas model,” he told the Texas Public Policy Foundation recently.Two bills in particular have emerged that attempt to “de-California-ize” Texas.Sen. Don Huffines has introduced SB 343, which says, “Unless expressly authorized by state statute, a local government shall not implement an ordinance, rule, or regulation that conflicts with or is more stringent than a state statute or rule regardless of when the state statute or rule takes effect.”

Rep. Rick Miller has introduced HB 1556, which targets so-called non-discrimination ordinances specifically. It says, “A county, municipality or other political subdivision may not adopt or enforce a local law that creates a protected classification or prohibits discrimination on a basis not contained in the laws of this state.”

Bennett Sandlin, executive director of the Texas Municipal League, says Huffines’ bill is far too broad, threatening to turn home rule cities, with charters and broad authority to enact laws not prohibited by the state or federal law, into general law cities, which are restricted to what the state specifically says they can do.He’s right. The bill essentially renders the term local control into nothingness. Texas municipalities are the governments in direct contact with residents and they are already well aware of what is allowable under the law. Such micromanagement is not a Texas value — or so we’ve heard judging from all those lawsuits filed against the federal government to stop this or that regulation.Miller's bill is simply offensive. It seeks to undo rights and protections necessary for Texas’ gay community in particular.We understand. A “patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulations” is not ideal, but these exist because of legislative inaction in many cases.These bills should never get to the floor for votes. They are un-Texan. Hmm. We wonder if Texas cities should be talking about secession?

http://www.tribtalk.org/2015/03/12/liberty-trumps-local-control/ [this is an op-ed by Rep. Matt Rinaldi, on why state control over local ordinances upholds liberty]

Discuss the issue of Local Control from both sides.

• What are the arguments for and against local control?
• Is it hypocritical for the state government to impose its will on the policies?

Choose one issue below, and explore how local control has been handled by state government.

• Fracking
• Sanctuary Cities
• Non-discrimination ordinances (e.g., Houston’s HERO)
• Zoning
• Red Light Cameras
• Plastic bags

This assignment must follow MLA guidelines, be typed in Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, and be a minimum of 2 pages with a works cited page. Remember the MLA must be double-spaced and include the proper header and paper title as well as in-text citations. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, please visit the Student Resources tab in our class and view the Writing Information folder OR see the Academic Skills center on the Central Campus at NLC.