Austin, TX — The Lone Star state is in the news this week with a surprise ruling outlawing vegan gravy. Texas House Bill HR 42, “The Gravy Purity Act of 2019,” was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott late last week, a long-time fan of biscuits and gravy.
For many outside of Texas, a bill banning vegan gravy seems frivolous and pointless. However, for residents, it’s a dead-serious proposition.
“When my daughter went away to college in California, she came back telling the family that meat is murder or some nonsense,” said 5th generation Fort Worth resident Alden Beatty III. “So we need to stop this, and I’m glad Texas is putting its foot down on the matter.”
Under HR 42, there’s a two-year grandfather period where establishments can provide vegan gravy. But starting in 2021, restaurants and home cooks face up to a $250 fine for serving vegan gravy.
It’s unclear how the notoriously austere state plans to enforce the new law, given that no funding was attached to the bill. Still, according to bill cosponsor Damon James (R-Midland), “we’re just gonna rely on citizen arrests to enforce the law.”
Not everyone is happy about the new law. The Austin-based animal rights group Animals First says the HR 42 is discriminatory and plans to file a lawsuit next week to strike down the legislation.
