Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that a federal judge granted Texas, Arkansas, and eight other states the right to intervene in a case involving the U.S. Department of Labor’s plans to impose new rules making it more difficult and expensive for small business owners to obtain legal advice. Attorney General Paxton, along with Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, is leading the 10-state coalition fighting to stop the rules from going into effect.
“The U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear that states are responsible for regulating the practice of law within their borders, not the federal government,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said. “This is yet another example of the Obama Administration sticking its nose where the federal government doesn’t belong and threatening the ability of small business owners to prosper, grow and create new jobs.”
The Obama Administration sought to stop the states from intervening in the case, but the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas granted the states’ request on Thursday.
Joining Texas and Arkansas in the filing are Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
To view the motion to intervene, please visit: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/epress/files/2016/motion_to_intervene_and_memorandum_in_support_NFIB_v_perez.pdf
To view the complaint, please visit: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/epress/files/2016/proposed_complaint_NBIB_v_perez.pdf