Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB481 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 01/23/2025

                             
 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXIS TING LAW. 
        [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. 
          *sb0481*  
  
SENATE BILL 481 
M4, J1   	5lr2734 
    	CF 5lr3098 
By: Senators Gallion and Hester 
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2025 
Assigned to: Finance 
 
A BILL ENTITLED 
 
AN ACT concerning 1 
 
On–Farm Home Processing License – Revenue Limit – Prohibition 2 
 
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Maryland Department of Health from limiting the 3 
amount of revenue the holder of an on–farm home processing license may derive from 4 
food processed under the license; and generally relating to on–farm home processing 5 
licenses.  6 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7 
 Article – Health – General 8 
Section 21–301(a) and (i) 9 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 10 
 (2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11 
 
BY adding to 12 
 Article – Health – General 13 
Section 21–309.3 14 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 15 
 (2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16 
 
 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17 
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18 
 
Article – Health – General 19 
 
21–301. 20 
 
 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 21 
 
 (i) “License” means a license issued by the Department under this subtitle to 22 
operate a food establishment. 23 
  2 	SENATE BILL 481  
 
 
21–309.3. 1 
 
 (A) IN THIS SECTION , “ON–FARM HOME PROCESSING LICENSE” MEANS A 2 
LICENSE ISSUED TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO OWNS A FARM TO PROCESS FO OD IN A 3 
HOME OR DOMESTIC KIT CHEN LOCATED ON THE INDIVIDUAL’S FARM.  4 
 
 (B) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT LI MIT THE AMOUNT OF RE VENUE THE 5 
HOLDER OF AN ON–FARM HOME PROCESSING LICENSE MAY DERIVE F ROM FOOD 6 
PROCESSED UNDER THE LICENSE .  7 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That on or before October 1, 2025, 8 
the Maryland Department of Health shall update COMAR 10.15.04.15 to repeal the 9 
$40,000 limit on sales of food processed under an on–farm home processing license.  10 
 
 SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 11 
1, 2025. 12