Finally Becoming Official!

This post is going to be a little different then my normal posts.  I have been trying not to say much about it, but now I feel like I can.  Up until yesterday it was illegal for home bakers like myself to make things in their home kitchens and sell them.  I was not aware of this when I started this adventure last summer.  A few friends informed me and let me now of a group called the Texas Baker's Bill.  Their sole job was to help get a bill passed into law that would allow us home bakers to do the one thing we loved doing.... baking and make some money from it.  When I first joined the group several months ago, there were actually two bills trying to make it through the process.  One of them never it out of committee to come up for a vote.  The second made it further.  It did make to the floor for a vote and was passed.  After that it went to committee that regulates the Health Department.  Unfortunately, the bill died there because of one city.... Houston.  It seemed that in this case money seemed to talk more then the best interest of the people.  All was thought to be lost until Rep. Lois Kolhorst added an amendment to SB 81 on May 24th, 2011.  This gave us hope again.  There were some hurdles still over come, but this time around there seemed to much more open support.  The amendment was approved and the bill was passed on to its final vote.  That final vote came on May 28th, 2011.  Then both the House and Senate signed the bill on May 29th allowing the bill to be put in front of the governor on May 29th.  Now the waiting begun.  Three things could happen.... One: the governor could sign the bill.... Two: the governor could veto the bill..... Third: the governor do nothing and the bill would automatically become law on June 19th, 2011.  Of course our main concern was that he not veto the bill.  I will admit for a person who studied politics and history in college, I never became very involved in the political process, but this time I did.  I wrote letter to the governor and actually called him also.  I want to believe my voice made a difference because on June 18th, 2011, Governor Rick Perry signed SB 81 into law.  Now all of those home bakers that have not been baking in their home kitchens (cough cough) can officially start on September 1st, 2011.  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to thank everyone out there who has supported me and others like myself in our struggle.  I hope you continue that support and keep buying those HOME-baked goodies.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!