Austin, Dallas construction workers to lose rest breaks with state bill

Austin and Dallas require 10-minute rest breaks for construction workers every four hours. House Bill 2127 will ban local ordinances mandating rest breaks September 1. “[Texas lawmakers] are signing these bills in air-conditioned rooms. They have access to water, they can take breaks." July was the hottest on record in Austin and Houston, with the average heat index reaching 120 in Houston.