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Members of the Fe Y Justice Worker Center hold signs to protest House Bill 2127, dubbed the "Death Star bill," during a press conference at Houston’s City Hall on July 14. Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune
  • Home Rule

Judge blocks new Texas law that would erode cities’ power to enact local rules

The Death Star Law was scheduled to go into effect on Friday. Today, a Travis County judge declared it unconstitutional. Local Progress Texas members and partners weigh in.
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LPTX members, staff, and partners posing in front of a sign that says "Fighting for Texas Workers."
  • Home Rule

Local Progress Texas, Texas AFL-CIO, Every Texan, ACLU of Texas & Workers Defense Project Celebrate Win for Local Democracy

In response to the ruling of the Travis County Civil District Court in the case of The City of Houston v. Texas, Texas AFL-CIO, Local Progress Texas, Every Texan, ACLU of Texas, and Workers Defense Project celebrate a win for local democracy
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Black and white photo of the Texas Capitol in Austin.
  • Home Rule

Judge Strikes own Lege’s Power-grab Against Cities, HB 2127

Local Progress Texas Chapter Manager Tannya Benavides underscores that today's ruling impacts not only Texas cities, but local communities across the country under attack by conservative state governments.
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Photo of the Texas Capitol building in Austin lit up at night
  • Home Rule

Texas “Death Star” Law Ruled Unconstitutional Two Days Before Taking Effect

Local Progress Texas, the Texas AFL-CIO, Every Texan, ACLU of Texas, and Workers Defense Project stress that the Death Star Law directly contradicts Texas' core values of democracy and freedom.
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Photo of three people standing in front of a Texas flag -- one of whom is El Paso County Commissioner & LP Member David Stout
  • Home Rule

Nueva ley afectará a Texas

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout warns that the Death Star Law's impact on local democracy will be devastating.
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Photo of a large group of people part of a UPS Teamster Practice Picket holding up signs that read "Photo of a group of UPS workers in uniform and holding up signs that say "UPS Teamsters: Just Practicing for a Just Contract" with Scabby in the background
  • Economic Justice

What the UPS Contract Means for Collaborative Governance

UPS workers voted overwhelmingly in favor of a historic contract that will mean higher wages, better benefits, and more growth for 340,000 employees and that raised labor standards across the country. Here's what that means for how local electeds should collaboratively govern.
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Austin City Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes speaking during a virtual press briefing.
  • Home Rule

Texans Warn Death Star Law Silences Communities

At a press briefing organized by Local Progress Texas, Every Texan, Workers Defense Project, and the Texas AFL-CIO, leaders talked about the devastating impact the Death Star law has for everyday Texans.
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Empowering Leadership & Transformative Change: Progressive Governance Lab and Our Partnership with Bay Rising

The partnership between Bay Rising and Local Progress Impact Lab through the Progressive Governance Lab brings together the power of grassroots activism, collaborative governance strategy, and policy expertise.
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Image of the El Paso skyline with a desert foreground.
  • Home Rule

El Paso and other Texas cities are getting ready for Abbott’s ‘Death Star Law’

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout, along with LP members representing Austin and San Antonio, explain how the Death Star Law will hinder their ability to meet their communities' most urgent needs.
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  • Housing

Two New Resources Help Electeds and Community Members Advocate for Strong Rent Stabilization Policies

A new rent stabilization toolkit in partnership with Power Switch Action and a messaging guide to support local elected officials developing their own ordinances.
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Illustration by Lincoln Agnew of the Texas flag with black and white photos collaged within it, including an image of an eye.
  • Home Rule

Texas Lege’s ‘Death Star’ Bill Is the Latest to Target Austin

“It is important to me as a local policymaker to keep the faith that we will continue to fight for our communities despite all the barriers that the state Legislature wants to put on localities,” said Austin City Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes.
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A photograph of downtown Ithaca, New York featuring old buildings and pedestrians walking and biking along the street.
  • Climate Justice, Economic Justice, Federal Response and Advocacy

New Resource Helps Local Electeds Maximize Federal Funds for Equity

Our newly released memo shares tools and best practices to help local electeds maximize federal funding opportunities to advance equity.
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Have a Media Inquiry?

Local Progress is a movement of local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. We are elected leaders who build power with underrepresented communities and fight to reshape what is possible in our localities all across the country. 

Want to get in touch with us for a story? Reach us at press@localprogress.org.

In The News

At Local Progress, we seek to make the aspirational pragmatic by showing how government can be a tool to create just and equitable outcomes and reshaping peoples’ understanding of governing from an institution to a collective responsibility. Here are some highlights of our media coverage:

Image of brownstonehomes. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
  • Housing

Cities lead bans on algorithmic rent hikes as states lag behind

Minneapolis on Thursday has become the fourth U.S. city to ban algorithmic rental price-fixing software, joining San Francisco, Philadelphia and Berkeley, California, in a growing wave of legislation aimed to protect renters from rental price-gouging.
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Portland City Council member Angelita Morillo is championing a local ban on the use of algorithms to set rents, following a U.S. Justice Department antitrust lawsuit.Beth Nakamura
  • Housing

Portland City Council weighs ban on using algorithms to set rents

Portland, Oregon could soon be the next city to ban rental price fixing!
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East Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, against blue sky and clouds. Photo: Tada Images via Shutterstock
  • Immigrant Justice

Hundreds of State Officials Oppose Anti-Sanctuary City Act

Nearly 400 state and local electeds nationwide sent a letter to Congress today urging them to vote NO on HR 32 – a dangerous bill that would strip our communities of essential funding simply for undertaking reasonable policies that make all of us safer.
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Photograph of the San Fransisco skyline. Photograph Source: Raydann
  • Housing

Social Housing Emerging in Cities Needs Local Govt Support

Local Progress founding board chair Nick Licata makes the case for local governments to support social housing.
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press Releases

A large group standing around while one person speaks at a podium.
  • Housing

Road To Good Cause Campaign Scores 11 Victories Across Upstate New York

The coordinated campaign of local officials expand critical renter protections to thousands of tenants, setting their sights on Rochester next.
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  • Economic Justice

NEW REPORT: How Local Government Can Stand Up for Workers When States Try to Stand in Their Way

This new report for Labor Day 2024 highlights ways local elected officials can advance workers rights even when facing both hostile state preemption and federal labor law preemption.
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  • Public Safety

How Localities Use Community Responder Programs to Keep People Safe

This new video from Local Progress and Local Progress Impact Lab focuses on three specific localities: Durham, Oakland, and Albuquerque to explain what community responder programs are, how they work, and why hundreds of localities are starting to adopt them.
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  • Housing

After Grants Pass: organizing to house all our neighbors

In response to the Supreme Court's cruel decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, we will continue to organize for housing for all.
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  • Housing

Local Progress Condemns Cruel Supreme Court Decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, Local Progress put out the following statement.
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