25 States Have Stripped Cities of the Right to Set Their Own Minimum Wage

The number that matters

Twenty-five states prohibit cities and counties from raising their local minimum wage above the state floor. In most of those states, the floor is the federal $7.25. When Kansas City voters approved a higher minimum wage in 2015, Missouri’s legislature passed a law making it illegal for any city in the state to set wages above the state level. Workers who’d already received raises had them taken back.

That is preemption: a state legislature overriding decisions made by voters in their own cities. It is accelerating. The Local Solutions Support Center is tracking nearly 850 preemption bills in 2026 state sessions, up one-third from two years ago.

What states block and where

State	Min. wage	Rent control	Paid sick leave	Gun safety	Sanctuary/immigration	Source
Texas	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	HB 2127
Florida	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	§218.077, §166.043
Georgia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Giffords
Ohio	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	§9.68
Tennessee	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	SB 674
Missouri	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	SB 1265
Iowa	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	SF 579

This is not a complete list. At least 25 states block local minimum wage, 43 states preempt local gun regulations, and a majority of states enacted new preemption laws between 2019 and 2025.

Texas HB 2127: the Death Star law

Texas passed the most sweeping preemption law in modern history in 2023. HB 2127 bars cities and counties from passing any local ordinance that touches nine areas of state code: agriculture, business, finance, insurance, labor, natural resources, occupations, property, and local government. Austin’s paid sick leave ordinance, passed by the city council in 2018, was its first casualty.

A trial court ruled it unconstitutional. Then in July 2025, a Texas appeals court reversed that decision and upheld the law. Cities lost.

“We need the state to either help us or get out of our way and let us help ourselves.”

Steve Adler, then-Mayor of Austin, after the Texas legislature blocked paid sick leave (The American Prospect)

Florida: erasing tenant protections statewide

Governor DeSantis signed HB 1417, preempting local tenant protection ordinances across the state. Housing advocates estimate 46 local ordinances were nullified in 35 cities and counties, including tenants’ bills of rights and rent stabilization measures. Florida already banned rent control outright under §166.043. Paid sick leave is blocked by §218.077.

The 2026 pipeline

The Bloomberg Law analysis of 2026 preemption bills found that state legislatures are now echoing Trump administration policies. Florida and Iowa passed bills restricting local diversity protections. Idaho is considering H557, which would eliminate local LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination ordinances. Missouri’s SB 1265 imposes daily fines on cities with sanctuary policies.

Gun preemption is expanding in 12 states simultaneously. Indiana signed SB 176 on March 5, 2026, prohibiting cities from using zoning to restrict shooting ranges. A total of 34 firearm preemption bills are pending across those states.

What you can do

Find your state’s preemption laws. The EPI preemption map shows which worker protections your state blocks. The Giffords preemption tracker covers firearm policy.
Write your state legislators. Tell them cities should decide local policy. Use Resist Bot. Text RESIST to 50409.
Support home rule ballot measures. Several states have active campaigns to enshrine local authority in state constitutions. Find yours through the Local Solutions Support Center.
Show up at city council. Even in preempted states, cities can pass resolutions, allocate funds creatively, and build coalitions challenging these laws in court. Austin, Houston, and San Antonio sued over HB 2127.
Vote in state legislative races. Preemption passes in statehouses. That is where it has to be stopped.

Read more on the Red State Power Grabs hub. See also: Texas Crosswalk Erasure for how preemption plays out on the ground.