Michigan Lemonade Stand Bill Passed House Unanimously

Michigan’s House unanimously passed a lemonade stand bill to spare kids the permits and fees some local health departments demand.

House Bill 6007 cleared the chamber on June 25, 2026, and was sent to the Senate. It would amend Michigan’s food law to let minors run a temporary food business on private property, as long as the stand brings in less than $5,000 a year.

The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Cam Cavitt, a Republican from Cheboygan, said kids in his community started it all.

“Children from our community initially brought this issue to my attention when their local health department demanded that they pay repeated fees to run their lemonade stand,” Cavitt said in a statement quoted by CBS Detroit.

He called the bill a win for the kids themselves. “This is a practical change that will make it easier for our kids to gain real business experience and develop civic responsibility. I was glad to see the votes pour in,” Cavitt said.

What the bill covers

The exemption applies to lemonade and other nonalcoholic drinks that do not require temperature control for safety.

It is not a blanket pass for beverage businesses. Only minor-run operations that meet the drink and revenue limits would qualify.

Oversight of youth stands varies by locality, and some local health departments require permits or licensing fees.

The Michigan Legislature’s bill analysis said potential financial losses to local health departments “would be very small.”

The New York Post reported that three young brothers pushed for the bill, testifying at a committee hearing in Lansing after facing a $400 licensing fee.

Smithsonian Magazine traced the American lemonade stand to New York City in 1839, when sellers were generally adults. The magazine also noted that Georgia and Texas have passed or proposed laws removing most regulations from youth-run beverage stands.