BILL NUMBER: S10674
SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
licensing of home kitchen operations
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation creates a safe, healthy, verifiable marketplace for
home-cooked foods and promotes equity by empowering those with marketa-
ble cooking skills and access to a kitchen.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 titles the bill as the "Home Kitchen Enterprise and Economic
Opportunity Act"
Section 2 establishes the legislative intent, noting that homemade food
businesses can create significant economic opportunities for New Yorkers
and that modernizing applicable regulations can reduce barriers to this
industry.
Section 3 adds a new Article 22-A to the Agriculture and Markets Law
regarding Home Kitchen Operations, establishing applicable definitions,
licensure, inspections and a regulatory framework.
Section 4 amends definition of food processing establishment found in
Agriculture and Markets Law to include home kitchen operations.
Section 5 amends the definitions of "food service establishment" and
"retail fond store" found in Agriculture and Markets Law to include home
kitchen operations.
Section 6 sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill addresses the evolving market for food and the way people cook
and eat in the post COVID world. While the restaurant experience will
always be a cornerstone social experience, people find themselves too
busy to cook for themselves but still want personally prepared authentic
meals. This bill creates a safe marketplace for personal chefs to
provide home-cooked food to those who seek these types of meals. Allow-
ing home cooks to market their skills to their neighbors provides the
potential to earn money and contribute to their family's economic
wellbeing. This framework mandates the marketplace to provide health
training and inspections for home cooks and collects sales tax at the
point of sale. Creating a safe, healthy, verifiable marketplace for
home-cooked foods promotes equity by empowering those with marketable
cooking skills and access to a kitchen.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023/2024: S.1057 (Hinchey)
2021/2022: S.5951 (Hinchey)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S10674: 251-z-2 agriculture and markets law, 251-z-2(3) agriculture and markets law