A group of Texas retailers and associations are backing two bills moving through the Texas Legislature that aim to exempt certain essential food items and medications from ad valorem inventory taxes.
The bills — Senate Bill 2907, authored by Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, and Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, and House Bill 4083, authored by Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland — would exempt certain foods like eggs, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and some essential medications from taxation.
The Texans for Affordable Food and Medicine coalition, a group of Texas retailers and associations, announced their support for the bills Tuesday morning, arguing that they would lower prices, help retailers stay competitive and make fresh food and medication affordable and available for rural and underserved areas…