Besides owning and operating the El Cholo restaurant in Pasadena, Blair Salisbury and his business partner were in the process of franchising 20 Daddy’s Chicken Shack locations. But that deal seized up soon after the two learned about something called the FAST Recovery Act.

The campaign to Stop AB 257 issued the following statement today in response to the California State Senate’s passage of Assembly Bill 257, the so-called Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery (FAST) Act:

“We are disappointed but not surprised that the Senate Labor Committee decided to move this piece of special interest legislation forward. Despite today’s vote, the delay in hearing AB 257 demonstrates the Senate’s recognition that this bill amounts to a food tax on working Californians’ dining choices.

Today’s action by the Labor Committee moves tens of thousands of counter service restaurants one step closer to bearing the brunt of increased employee costs and onerous new workplace rules at a time when many are just getting their feet back under them from the harmful impacts of COVID.

Some of the nation’s biggest food suppliers and restaurants, including Kraft Heinz Co. and some McDonald’s Corp. franchisees, said they would continue to raise prices as they face starkly higher costs.

Kraft Heinz notified retailer customers this past Monday that it would raise prices in August on items ranging from Miracle Whip and Classico pasta sauce to Maxwell House coffee products and some deli meat.

The cost of gas and groceries have gone up, and a trip to the county fair is no exception. Many vendors say they had to raise prices in order to make a profit.

The costs of gas, food and other necessities jumped in May, raising inflation to a new four-decade high and giving American households no respite from rising costs.

Southern California gas prices continued to soar Friday, with the average price of a gallon of regular in Los Angeles County climbing to $6.445, a new record for the area, according to the American Automobile Assn.