HB2118

THE CONTEXT: The Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) is statutorily required to adopt rules that govern the health and safety of mobile food vendors and mobile food units on a statewide basis. The rules must establish: 1) licensing standards; 2) inspection standards that are based on objective factors; and 3) a licensing process for mobile units.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would prohibit a municipality from requiring a mobile food vendor to obtain a local regulatory permit or license, remove language allowing a city, town or county to require a mobile food vendor to be licensed, and specifies the mobile food vendors health and safety licensing requirements do not preclude a county from: a; requiring a mobile food vendor to be licensed or permitted; or b; collecting fees or imposing identification requirements necessary to administer and enforce mobile food vendor regulations and inspections in accordance with health and safety licensing standards or any delegation agreement; c; d; e.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make the licensing pathway more workable while retaining a defined state standard. It would prohibit a municipality from requiring a mobile food vendor to obtain a local regulatory permit or license, and would also remove language allowing a city, town or county to require a mobile food vendor to be licensed, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.