By: Leach H.B. No. 2266
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to judicial review of certain local laws applicable to
  state license holders.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act may be cited as the Regulations with
  Economic Impact in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.
         SECTION 2.  The purpose of this Act is to provide a judicial
  remedy to ensure that a state license holder has the right to engage
  in an occupation or business activity authorized by and regulated
  under state law without burdensome or inconsistent local regulation
  of the state license holder's occupation or lawful business
  activities.
         SECTION 3.  Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding
  Chapter 60 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 60. JUDICIAL REVIEW OF CERTAIN LOCAL LAWS AFFECTING
  LICENSE HOLDERS
         Sec. 60.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Local law" means an ordinance, rule, regulation,
  or other measure adopted by the governing body of a municipality
  that establishes requirements for, imposes restrictions on, or
  otherwise regulates the occupation or business activity of a
  license holder within the municipality or the municipality's
  extraterritorial jurisdiction.
               (2)  "License holder" means an individual or entity
  that, under state law, in order to practice the individual's
  occupation or conduct the entity's business in this state, is
  required to obtain a license, permit, registration certificate, or
  other evidence of authority from, and is subject to regulation by, a
  state licensing authority.
               (3)  "State licensing authority" means a state agency,
  department, board, or commission or the executive or administrative
  officer of a state agency, department, board, or commission that
  issues a license, permit, registration certificate, or other
  evidence of authority to an individual or entity authorizing the
  individual to practice the individual's occupation or the entity to
  conduct the entity's business in this state.
         Sec. 60.002.  SUIT TO ENJOIN ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN LOCAL
  LAWS AFFECTING LICENSE HOLDERS. (a) A license holder subject to a
  local law may bring an action under this section to enjoin the
  enforcement of the local law if the local law:
               (1)  establishes requirements for, imposes
  restrictions on, or otherwise regulates the occupation or business
  activity of the license holder in a manner that is more stringent
  than the requirements, restrictions, or regulations imposed on the
  license holder under state law; or
               (2)  would result in an adverse economic impact on the
  license holder.
         (b)  A license holder must bring the action in a district
  court in:
               (1)  a county that includes any territory of the
  municipality that adopted the local law; or
               (2)  Travis County.
         (c)  The license holder bringing the action under this
  section must show by a preponderance of the evidence that the local
  law is a local law described by Subsection (a). The license holder
  may provide evidence regarding the adverse economic impact of
  similar local laws in other jurisdictions inside or outside of this
  state.
         (d)  If the license holder satisfies the burden of proof
  required by Subsection (c), the municipality defending the action
  has the burden of establishing by clear and convincing evidence
  that the local law:
               (1)  does not conflict with state law; and
               (2)  is necessary and narrowly tailored to protect
  against actual and specific harm to the public's health or safety.
         (e)  The court may grant any prohibitory or mandatory relief
  warranted by the facts, including a temporary restraining order,
  temporary injunction, or permanent injunction.
         (f)  If the license holder prevails in the action, the court
  shall award to the license holder court costs and reasonable and
  necessary attorney's fees to be paid by the municipality defending
  the action.
         (g)  This section does not apply to a local law that
  establishes requirements for, imposes restrictions on, or
  otherwise regulates:
               (1)  a sexually oriented business under Chapter 243,
  Local Government Code;
               (2)  a massage parlor as defined by Section 234.101,
  Local Government Code; or
               (3)  any conduct under Chapter 393, Finance Code, and
  any conduct related to a credit services organization, as defined
  by Section 393.001, Finance Code, or a credit access business, as
  defined by Section 393.601, Finance Code, if the local law:
                     (A)  was adopted before January 1, 2023; and
                     (B)  would have been valid under the law as it
  existed before the date this chapter was enacted.
         (h)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section:
               (1)  a license holder may not bring an action under this
  section against a municipality if the license holder is an employee
  of the municipality; and
               (2)  an association of municipal employees who are
  license holders may not bring an action under this section if the
  action relates to a local law governing the working conditions of
  those employees.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.