Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller wrote an op-ed for the Texas Tribune today in which he asked for Governor Greg Abbott to veto a bill headed to the governor's desk.
The bill, HB 2029, relates to the exemption of certain commercial weighing and measuring devices from inspection and registration. Miller says that the bill gives places like barbeque joints a license to steal by exempting them from consumer protection laws.
Miller says that currently, if a person buys a pound of brisket they can be assured that they will receive a full pound due to the measurement devices that the state currently requires. Miller says that if the bill is passed, the state will be assuming that everyone is honest and will not protect consumers with consumer protection laws.
Miller said that while he does trust business owners, he also wants some protection.
"I trust my local barbecue guy, but I still want to see that when I buy a pound of sausage I’m getting a pound of sausage." Miller said.
Miller ended his article by asking everyone who loves barbeque to contact Governor Abbott and ask him to veto HB 2029.
The bill is currently headed to the governor's desk.
