Hello everyone!

For those of you who do not venture into the Business Forum, and/or are unaware, there is a movement trying to get Cottage Food Laws passed here in Texas.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6281747#6281747

The thread is over 20 pages, so here is a quick summary:

In Texas, it is illegal to sell cakes from your home kitchen.

kelleym was able to meet with Representative Gattis about trying to change that.

He recently informed her that he had requested lawyers to write up two different drafts of Cottage Food Law legislation. However, this did not guarantee the bill would be filed in hopes of becoming a law. He informed kelleym that the deadline for filing legislation was March 31.

Yesterday (Friday March 6) he informed kelleym he made a mistake, and that the deadline is actually Friday, March 13.

If we are unable to convince Gattis, or any other representative, to file this legislation, we will have to wait TWO years before we can try again!

What can you do? Visit this link, http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ , find out who your representative is, call them, and urge them to either support Gattis or to file the legislation themselves. Get all your friends and family who are Texas residents to do the same.

kelleym has also set up a website, http://texascottagefoodlaw.com/default.htm with a link to an online petition.

We can do this!

I've signed the petition, we really need to keep this thread alive to give all Texas bakers a chance to get their signature posted before the deadline! Thanks for bringing this to our attention lanibird

Thanks everyone! The planning meeting today went great! The plan for this week is as follows:

On Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday everybody (yes, you! everybody!)needs to call their state senator and representative and educate them about the issue, tell them that the legislation is drafted and in Representative Gattis office, and ask them to either introduce or co-sponsor it. If you are in the Austin area, try to get a meeting with the legislator or their staff. If you want me to come with you, I will make every effort (fair warning: I may have a baby with me!).

The time for writing letters and signing the petition has passed. We have only 5 days to go, we need to get these peoples attention.

If the bill is not filed by Wednesday, then we are going to get as big a group together as we can, and, wearing matching cake show shirts, go down to the Capitol and go from office to office, giving cupcakes and making as many legislators as possible aware of this issue. This will definitely be a last ditch attempt, but we can invite the media and make some noise.

Find out who your state senator and representative are,and start calling tomorrow! Call every day until Friday! We do NOT want to have to wait until 2011 to try again.

The bad economy is in our favor. We need to get this done now.

Oh count me in for Weds - if you end up having to do that! When will you decide? I'll need time to bake and find a sitter...

I'm going to call a friend tomorrow and see if he knows any of the reps...he's one of our ex-mayors so he should know someone!

I'm praying for this bill to pass or for the cottage food law to become a reality!

I just got off the phone with Patrick in Representative Gattis's office.

1. I asked if there was anything more I could do to help get this filed. He said no.

2. He said he will be meeting with Rep. Gattis in the "next couple of days" and a decision will be made. He promises I will be his first call when it is made.

3. He says that other Representatives' offices have been calling them for more information! He said "it looks like you might have some legislative support out there".

Signs of legislative support may be what tips this thing in our favor. The single most important thing you can do now is call your state Representative, make them aware of the issue, and how important it is to you, and ask (beg, plead, bribe) them to call Patrick in Rep. Gattis office for more information. (512) 463-0309.[/list]

Double post.

Triple post.

Crazy quadruple post.

I have to say this is exciting to watch this unfold .... true American democracy and pure grassroots politics ('pure' politics .... not the stuff we usually see! hahahaha!) in action. You guys should be applauded just for getting it this far! I'm glued to this, watching for updates.

Representative Gattis has signed the legislation, and the bill will be filed with the clerk's office tomorrow, 3/11.

I will be starting a new thread here in the General section soon with details.

That calls for some dancing!










Kelley, you are my hero!

I got quite a few responses from those who I've PM'd - Thank You all so much for contacting your reps!

Good luck ladies, hope it all works out for you. You're right, in times like these it seems like all entrpreneurial spirits should be given the chance to spread their wings and do whatever they can to support themselves and their families. Wish they'd let us bake in Michigan! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

At this point should we still be calling those same representatives or do we just wait and see?
Or is there something else we should be doing?
That would be incredible if this happens!!

I will post more tomorrow after we have a bill # and I talk to Patrick more.

I just now checked my email! Thanks to lanibird for the pm. I can't wait to see what happens and am a willing soldier in your army I'd LOVE to be able to sell cake from my home. Here's hoping; You guys are awesome

I've started a new thread specifically for discussion and strategery about our bill!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-622123.html