Bill > HB134

This bill authorizes the creation of a "microenterprise home kitchen operation" registration program that allows individuals to produce and sell certain homemade food items from their home kitchens. The bill establishes comprehensive guidelines for these home-based food businesses, including registration requirements, food safety standards, and sales restrictions. Registrants must pay a $25 annual fee, complete food safety training, and undergo home kitchen inspections by the Department of Agriculture. The operation is limited to selling up to $150,000 of potentially hazardous food items per year and must follow specific labeling and food handling requirements. Different rules apply to selling non-perishable versus perishable items, with stricter delivery guidelines for dairy, meat, poultry, and seafood products. The bill also ensures that these home kitchen operations are exempt from extensive commercial kitchen equipment requirements and allows them to sell through various channels, including in-person, remote, and third-party vendors. The legislation aims to provide a regulatory framework that supports small food businesses while maintaining food safety standards, offering home cooks a pathway to monetize their culinary skills with minimal bureaucratic barriers.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb134