Dallas, Texas – More than ten years later, Eva Marroquin remains haunted by a tragic event in her past. Working in construction in Austin, Texas, she was deeply affected by the heat-related death of a friend on a worksite back in 2012. Witnessing the devastating consequences of extreme temperatures firsthand, Marroquin became a vocal advocate for improving protections for workers facing similar risks. She, along with others, has been actively lobbying for enhanced safeguards for workers in the face of escalating heat-related fatalities. The absence of federal regulations dedicated to addressing environmental heat in workplaces has prompted state and local governments across the US to grapple over jurisdiction on this issue. On one side of this debate is the recent legislation in Florida, effective July 1, which prohibits local governments from enacting their own safety measures regarding heat exposure. Likewise, Texas passed a similar law, dubbed the "Death Star" bill, which curtails local regulations exceeding state mandates, leading to legal disputes in cities like Austin and Houston. While proponents assert that such laws streamline business operations, critics argue that they undermine worker protections. The complexity of navigating varying regional laws highlights the need for consistent nationwide regulations to ensure worker safety in diverse industries.