Texas cities retain powers to regulate private-sector hiring, benefits

An effort to stop Texas cities from creating rules for businesses around scheduling and benefits — including controversial mandates passed in some places such as paid sick leave — failed at the state Legislature.

Senate Bill 14 would have banned municipalities and counties from adopting rules around terms of employment “that exceed or conflict with federal or state law,” and thrown out old laws. But it missed the May 30 deadline for a final vote to reconcile different versions of the bill passed…