LANSING (WWJ) -- Nothing says summer in Michigan like a children's lemonade stand.
And one Michigan lawmaker wants to make sure this tradition, dating back decades, can continue unincumbered.
State Rep. Cam Cavitt this week introduced a plan that he said aims to protect the rights of children who want to run their own lemonade stands across Michigan.
House Bill 6007 would eliminate restrictions on running a lemonade stand if it is operated by a minor and generates less than $5,000 in yearly revenue.
Currently, Cavitt said state exemptions and regulations regarding lemonade stands differ wildly, and some health departments don’t allow them without a license fee.
“This puts a sour taste in my mouth,” said Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), in a statement. “The issue was brought to my attention by children in my community. They had a lemonade stand, and they were told by our local health department that they could no longer operate unless they paid a $57 license fee biweekly.
"These kids reached out to me asking for legislative change. After working with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, we’ve found a solution. These changes would put in place a standardized exemption for lemonade stands so our kids can serve lemonade without fear of getting the squeeze from the health department.”
In doing research for this bill, Cavitt said he discovered other existing failures in the law — including the fact that Michigan car dealerships technically cannot serve coffee without a food license. Many in Metro Detroit do it anyway.
This was also fixed in Cavitt's bill.
Next steps: The legislation will be referred to committee for further review.
