SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Eleven-year-old Hayli Martenez took a piece of her late grandmother’s advice -- when you make lemonade, use honey rather than suger -- to try to make some money for her family.
When the city of Kankakee ordered her to shut down her stand, Hayli used another piece of granny’s advice -- when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. So she came to Springfield with a bill to legalize children’s lemonade stands and protect them from government regulation.
Hayli Martenez, of Kankakee, testified Tuesday before the Illinois State Senate Public Health Committee about Hayli’s Law, which keeps local officials from shutting down children’s lemonade stands.
"I am ready to make a change for little people, like little girls and little boys, who have lemonade stands. I know that everyone’s sick and tired of all of us getting shut down for our lemonade stands, and it’s time to make a change,” she told senators.
Not many sixth-graders present to state lawmakers.
“I was, like, two percent nervous,” she said afterward. "I was a little scared, because I thought they weren't going to give me my law."
She said her lemonade comes in 45 varieties that come in different colors and is made with honey.
SB 3459 has passed the Senate Public Health Committee. Next, the full state Senate will vote on it.
The bill would eliminate any requirements such as a licenses, permits, or fees to sell lemonade or other non-alcoholic beverages from individuals under the age of 16.