Remove Barriers for Small Business in Ohio

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to support
House Bill 134, the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation bill, sponsored by
Representatives Jennifer Gross and Latyna Humphrey.

Right now, Ohioans who want to sell homemade foods — from
canned goods to hot meals — are required to produce them in a licensed
commercial kitchen, even if the food is made safely and carefully in their own
home. That requirement puts entrepreneurship out of reach for many Ohioans who
simply want to turn their skills into a livelihood without taking on the cost
and burden of a commercial facility.

HB 134 would change that by creating a straightforward
registration process that allows home-based food producers to sell their
products legally. Registrants would pay a modest $25 annual fee and submit to
inspection by the Ohio Department of Agriculture — ensuring food safety
standards are met while removing unnecessary barriers to entry. The bill
already passed the Ohio House with bipartisan support, and I am urging the
Senate to follow suit.

This is commonsense legislation that supports small business
owners, strengthens local food economies, and trusts Ohioans to make good
decisions about how they earn a living. It does not eliminate oversight — it
simply makes that oversight proportionate to the actual scale and risk of a
home kitchen operation.

I respectfully ask that you support HB 134 and help give
Ohio's home-based food entrepreneurs the opportunity they deserve.

Thank you for your time and your service to our community.