A kid with a lemonade stand might not seem like a job for lawmakers, but in Michigan, it is now.
State Representative Cam Cavitt, a Republican from Cheboygan, introduced a bill that would remove almost all regulations for child-run lemonade stands after parents in his district told him the local health department had required children to pay repeated fees to operate them.
The bill passed the Michigan House with broad support.
“This is a practical change that will make it easier for our kids to gain real business experience and develop civic responsibility. I was glad to see the votes pour in,” Cavitt told CBS News.
Under the proposal, minors could run a temporary food business on private property serving non-temperature-controlled beverages without paying fees, as long as the drinks are non-alcoholic and the business makes less than $5,000 a year.
House Bill 6007 now heads to the Michigan Senate for a vote.
The report says several states, including Texas and Georgia, have already exempted children’s lemonade stands from most or all business law requirements after similar legal disputes around the country.
In Colorado, similar protections were extended to informal sales of home-cooked meals, as long as sellers complete a food safety course and do not transport the food more than two hours from where it was cooked.
Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran said the “Tamale Act gives” people a chance to turn family recipes and cooking skills into a business opportunity.
Read more from Good News Network.
