Austin, T.X. – Texas House Bill 4584, led by the American Bakers Association’s efforts, passed the Texas House of Representatives today. The Bill now moves to the Texas Senate.
“We applaud Texas House of Representatives moving this critical issue forward,” said American Bakers Association State Affairs Working Group Chair, Craig Pizer of Bimbo Bakeries USA. “We would especially like to thank the bill’s author, Representative Cole Hefner.”
“It has been a pleasure to work toward advancing common sense changes to existing law on behalf of the baking industry’s operations in Texas,” said Rep. Cole Hefner (R-TX-5). “Texas bakers have been plagued by the theft of bakery trays and HB 4584 utilizes all angles of enforcement to solidify the theft of bakers’ private property as a criminal offense.”
“The American Bakers Association looks forward to taking our effort to the Texas Senate under the leadership of Senator Dan Hughes,” said Kelly Knowles, Vice President, Political & State Affairs, ABA. “We are facing a tight timeline for final passage of the Texas Tray Loss Bill before the Texas State Legislature adjourns on May 27.”
The legislation builds upon the Texas Retailers Association’s Stop Theft of Plastics Products (STOPP) Initiative, an initiative that has had success, although not complete, in combating tray theft. In 2013, the ABA lead similar successful reform efforts in the Maryland Legislature.
Read more about the economic impact of baking in Texas.
-American Bakers Association-
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since
1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 1,000 baking facilities and baking company suppliers.
ABA members produce bread, rolls, cookies, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. The baking industry generates more than $153 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 799,500 highly skilled people.
