Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Hello Everyone,
 
I am please to tell you that the Florida House of Representatives have created the Florida Cottage Food Act as a bill.  This bill will be heard on Tuesday and then it goes to the next committee, than the senate and finally the Govenor.  I attached the actual bill for you to read.  The actual bill is on page 15 item 415.  I reviewed a copy of this bill last week but was not able to say anything.  Today Teddi Creamer called me to tell me the location of the bill and said it is now public.  You can follow the action being taken on this bill on the house of representatives website.  http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/default.aspx Go to Committees than to Business and Consumer Affairs, on the right hand side go to proposed committe bills (PBC) there you will find the bill that I attached.  On this page is where you can watch as the bill progresses. 
 
We all need to email the State Senate to let them know how important it is that they pass this bill, once they pass it than it will go to the govenor. 
 
Thank you to everyone that has helped and supported me to get this action going.  I am so happy I emailed the Speaker of the House because he was the one to help us make this happen. 
 
Hang in there everyone, Florida will soon be the next state with The Cottage Food Act.

 

Barbara

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Barbara, if you don't mind I'm going to copy and paste this information onto our club's site. We just had our monthly meeting and everyone was asking if we'd heard anything yet. I know our members will be happy to hear this good news!


Maureen said:
Barbara, if you don't mind I'm going to copy and paste this information onto our club's site. We just had our monthly meeting and everyone was asking if we'd heard anything yet. I know our members will be happy to hear this good news!
Hi Maureen,  Sure you can post my updates.  I do want to add that the House of Representatives passed the bill with one ammendment and that is we would need to take a food safety class.  I believe the next step is for them to make the change and than another couple of readings and than the same process when it goes to the senate.  I'm not sure the time frame for all this to happen but, I would hope it will be all completed before summer.
If anyone would like to be updated via email have them send me an email requesting I put them on my email list.  krazyaboutcake@gmail.com
Happy Baking
Barbara

Thanks, very good news! You don't know how much this could mean to me and I know to a lot of other people who try to so things right and are not able to do so many times. Thanks for all your hard work! 

 

Molly

The Cottage Food Bill has a number now HB 5007 so if you go to the website of the Florida House of Representatives you can look up this bill and follow it. It is currently going through other committees. The Bill# isn't just for the Cottage Food Act actually it is for several professions that the house is streamlining the requirements. So to see the requirements for the Cottage Food you need to scroll down the bill until you see "Cottage Food" the bill will state first how the law is currently and than it will tell you the changes they made. I hope this helps everyone understand what is happening I know it can be a little overwhelming.

Barbara
Hello, I have been following the progress of Cottage Food Acts around the country and had printed laws & regs from various states in hopes of putting something together for this years session - family illness derailed those plans but am pleased to see that you have been successful in getting this on the table.

Two concerns if you have any influence in the amendment process -
Line 498 requiring net weight or volume. It would be extremely helpful to all of us if "unit(s)" was also a labeling option - such as dozen cookies, 1 cake, 1/2 dozen cupcakes. Otherwise, it is my understanding that everything would have to be labeled in pounds/ounces or fluid ounces as applicable to the product being sold, which would mean weighing everything & creating an individual label for every package.

Line 480 limiting sales to $15,000 per year regardless of number of people involved - I am only 1 person and would not reach that limit with cakes, but could easily see that limit being reached with cookies/cupcakes/candies. Is there any plan to increase this amount in the future? I know that I can't begin to consider commercial kitchen rental with only $15K in sales . . .

Many, many thanks for your hard work!
Wanda

The Florida Cottage Food Bill CS/HB 5007 is now having it's Third Reading and has made it to the Senate  http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2011/5007

It won't be long now when the Senate passes the bill I believe it will go into effect July 1, 2011

Happy Baking

Just received your email about this!!! Thank you Barbara!!!!!!!



Lisa Duff said:

Just received your email about this!!! Thank you Barbara!!!!!!!

 

Hi Everyone,
 
Ok I couldn't stand it anymore not seeing the bill move so I contacted Teddi Creamer, Policy Chief and asked her what was going on.  Teddi explained that the bill went to the senate and they removed everything the house introduced and the house returned it ("Returned Message") blank the same way as the senate sent it to them.  So bottom line this bill will be decided by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.  They have to work out the budget first before they can complete the passing of the bill onto the governor.  Teddi told me that this must be completed within the next 13 days.  I asked her if it look good and if it will pass and she said it did look good and the Speaker of the House is trying his hardest to get the bill passed.
 
Teddi also mention that the Cottage Food was added along with the other professions because they didn't have a another bill to support it so they felt incorporating it with all the other professions versa by it's selfso it would pass without a problem.
 
So we have to wait another 13 days before we know what happens.  I strongly suggest we all email the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to support this bill.  I'm not worried about the Speaker he already is doing everything he can.  When I emailed the President of the Senate he said he would keep my letter in mind when the bill comes up.  So please send your emails to the President of the Senate.
 
I had an idea once the bill passes we send a cupcake to the Senate and House as a Thank You, but, make sure you label it as required per the bill.  Wouldn't that be a blast we could send it on the same day so they would receive them on the same day.

I just watched the Cottage Food Bill being voted on for the last time and it passed out of the House and Senate and is now going to the Governor to sign into law.  The Governor has two weeks the most to sign the bill.

Happy Baking/Cooking Florida
Barbara Schmal

Oh what great news! Thank you so much, Barbara.

I am beside myself. Thank you so much for keeping everyone up to date on what's going on with the bill. It's so important and so exciting that those of us in Florida can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel!

Ok Hello Everyone, I'm sorry I didn't get to post an update before everyone tried to figure out what happened.

OK, the bill we all were watching CS/HB 5007 did NOT pass. I was shocked as I watch the senate denay the passing of this bill. The house and senate passed the bill two weeks ago and when it came down to the final voting the Senate didn't pass the bill and both houses had to pass the bill for it to go to the Governor.

Right after the Senate voted Teddi Creamer, Policy Chief called me within seconds and said, they included the Cottage Food Bill in another bill CS/HB 7009 which did pass and it has gone onto the Governor to sign. Once he signs it the Cottage Food Act it will be effective July 1, 2011.

This bill is the SAME exact bill that was in the other bill 5007. You can read the bill at http://www.flsenate.gov/Sessio.....ext/er/PDF it
starts on Page 26 Line 728. It first talks about Food Establishments which is different than the Cottage Food Act. Nothing changed from the original Cottage Food Bill all the same requirements, $15,000 gross sales, no selling on internet, wholesale or mail order etc etc

I hope this clarifies the confusion.

Barbara

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