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Texas is sued over anti-ESG law

Texas was taken legal action against on Thursday by a. not-for-profit whose members support environmentallyfriendly. policies, and which looks for to obstruct a state law targeting. organizations that support reduced reliance on fossil fuels.

The American Sustainable Organization Council said the 2021 law. known as Senate Costs 13 violates members' free speech rights by. prohibiting Texas from purchasing or contracting with services. that, in the state's view, boycott the oil and gas industry.

Texas is the largest and among the most prominent. Republican-led states to punish services whose. environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies it dislikes. It is likewise quickly the largest U.S. oil producing state.

The suit filed in Austin, Texas, federal court called as. defendants state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Comptroller. Glenn Hegar, both Republicans who support the 2021 law.

In a declaration, Hegar accused the complainant of pursuing a. radical ecological program needing companies to prioritize. politics over shareholders.

He called the lawsuit a pointless attempt to require Texas and. its taxpayers to invest in a manner irregular with their. worths and damaging to their own financial well-being. That is. unreasonable.

Paxton's workplace did not instantly react to ask for. comment.

In connection with the 2021 law, Hegar preserves a list. of 16 monetary business and more than 350 mutual fund. whose ESG policies he believes impermissibly target fossil. fuel-based energy.

He included British bank NatWest to the list two weeks. earlier. In March, the Texas Permanent School Fund stated it would. tug $8.5 billion of assets under management from BlackRock. , which is also on the comptroller's list.

The American Sustainable Organization Council stated Senate Costs. 13 has damaged its corporate and individual members, who. represent more than 200,000 businesses, in spite of Texas depicting. itself as a business-friendly state.

2 members, Etho Capital and Our Sphere, have funds on. Hegar's list.

The law breaks the First Change by barring companies. from competing for state investments or contracting with the. state whenever Texas believes those companies embrace a. disfavored perspective about nonrenewable fuel sources, the problem said.

Because SB 13 codifies viewpoint-based discrimination, it. is presumptively unconstitutional.

The case is American Sustainable Organization Council v. Hegar. et al, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, No. 24-01010.

(source: Reuters)