Committee restores home-based vendor language, removes EBT wording to avoid fiscal recommit; bill passes 10–0

The Commerce and Technology committee amended and approved House Bill 1424 to restore protections for home-based and homestead vendors, clarify health-department complaint authority and preserve vendor access to markets, then removed EBT references verbally to avoid fiscal recommitment.

The chair offered Amendment No. 9, which "restores the home based vendor and homestead vendor language" and clarifies what products may be sold. The amendment also includes language on "safe serve" certification that would permit a home-based vendor to ship food if they hold that certification. The chair said existing law already gives the local health department authority to investigate food-safety complaints and the amendment codifies that the health department steps in only if a complaint is generated.

Senator Ford asked whether home-based vendors covered by the amendment could receive SNAP benefits. The chair said section 1 contained language on that point but warned that leaving an EBT reference in the amendment could require the bill to be fiscally recommitted, which might kill it; the committee therefore agreed to accept the amendment and then make a verbal amendment removing page 1, lines 2–13 (the EBT portion) to avoid recom-mit.

The committee then discussed the bill briefly. Representative Henley thanked Representative Smith for collaboration and said the change would help home-based vendors and small entrepreneurs access customers and, where eligible, SNAP benefits. Senator Ford offered a personal endorsement, describing a visit with a vendor and saying, "I enthusiastically support this bill. I'm a yes." Senator Donato asked to be added to the bill, said the measure would be "huge" in his district, and voted yes. The committee approved the amended measure by recorded voice vote with ten ayes and one excused.

The chair announced House Bill 1424 "moves to the floor, 10 to 0." The committee adjourned.