Sen. Campbell Sends Letter To SA Mayor, City Council Over Concerns Of Paid Sick Leave Ordinance

Ahead of Wednesday’s San Antonio City Council meeting, State Senator Donna Campbell sent a letter to Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Council Members reiterating…

SAN ANTONIO – Ahead of Wednesday’s San Antonio City Council meeting, State Senator Donna Campbell sent a letter to Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Council Members reiterating the legal concerns expressed by Attorney General Ken Paxton and the economic fallout if the city adopts a mandatory paid sick leave policy.

The full text of the letter is included below:

Dear Mayor Nirenberg and City Council Members,

Thank you for your service as elected officials representing the best interests of San Antonio. On July 9, 2018 you received a letter from Attorney General Ken Paxton clarifying that state law, through the Texas Minimum Wage Act, preempts a municipality from enacting a paid sick leave ordinance. Therefore, any ballot initiative related to the ordinance will also be in violation of state law and unenforceable if passed.

You may also be aware that the Office of the Attorney General and several business groups have filed a lawsuit against Austin’s Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Ordinance on the same grounds.  This case is currently going through the legal process, and the Third Court of Appeals will hear a motion in the coming weeks to block the law from taking effect.

As a state senator representing a large portion of San Antonio, I have heard from many small and family-owned businesses concerned that they will be forced to move or shut their doors if this policy is adopted. These are job creators and city taxpayers who contribute to the local economy.

We have seen the results of these ordinances in other cities and states, and it has not been favorable. Enacting a city-wide proposed sick leave ordinance will put San Antonio at a disadvantage to secure major events such as the NCAA Final Four and keep innovative companies from relocating their operations here. It will hurt the city economically and cost potential jobs.

Given these circumstances and the overwhelming opposition expressed by some of the city’s biggest job creators, it is imperative that council members reject the proposed ordinance and delay any ballot initiative until 2019 to give existing legal challenges time to be resolved.

Thank you for your consideration and please don’t hesitate to contact my office with questions.

Sincerely,
Senator Donna Campbell, M.D.