![\"Angel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_1236.jpeg\" "\\"Angel")
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Angel Garza held a meeting at Marine Park on Monday evening about a new Texas law that would make it more expensive to operate mobile food vendors.<\/p>\n
Kamal Morgan<\/p>\n
A Texas law that went into effect July 1 was supposed to give food truck owners a break by eliminating city permits in favor of one that allows them to operate anywhere in the state.<\/p>\n
But for operators who stay in only one city, the new permit from the Department of State Health Services costs far more than the one from the city.<\/p>\n
Angel Garza organized a meeting Monday night at Marine Park north of downtown to speak with over a dozen food truck business owners about the law and its implications.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Austin, they want to change the law, but triple the money, that\u2019s ridiculous,\u201d Garza, who runs a commissary, and wanted to help out the Hispanic food truck owners who attended.<\/p>\n
The new state law, House Bill 2844<\/a>, also known as the \u201cFood Truck Freedom Bill,\u201d requires the Department of State Health Services<\/a> to issue a permit for all licensed mobile food trucks. Before, food truck owners paid fees at local health departments in every city and county where they sold their food.<\/p>\n The change was intended to save food truck owners money, but for some, it\u2019s a far more expensive option.<\/p>\n The state permit is based on tiers, ranging from $300 to $876 in application fees and $400 to $500 in pre-licensing inspection fees. Some owners could also pay up to $500 in routine or compliance inspections. The licenses require a yearly renewal.<\/p>\n Cities can still regulate zoning, parking, noise, fire safety and local taxes.<\/p>\n In Fort Worth, the annual health permit fee for mobile food vendors was $258. A request for a new permit included a $165 plan review fee.<\/p>\n Nestor Mendoza sells Mexican food from his truck, Holy Frijole. He stays in Fort Worth, so he knew the new law would not help him.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to be paying double for just staying in one place,\u201d Mendoza said.<\/p>\n State Rep. Ram\u00f3n Romero, a Democrat from Fort Worth, says the law was \u201cgrossly implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n His two biggest worries are that people will potentially lose their business and cities losing the permit income to conduct health inspections.<\/p>\n For now, Romero said, mobile food vendors will have to follow the law. He said he will continue to advocate for them and will propose changes once the Texas legislative session opens in January.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that it\u2019s really going to be a matter of the agency realizing that there were mistakes made in the rulemaking and makes adjustments if possible,\u201d Romero said.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n
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