Food: service establishments; exemption for certain outdoor event spaces; provide for. Amends sec. 1107 of 2000 PA 92 (MCL 289.1107).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Brian BeGole and 10 co-sponsors

HB 4042 narrows the definition of food service establishment to exclude rental halls without kitchens or on-site prep, freeing venues from licensing and fees.

bill ordered enrolled

#food:serviceestablishments

Purpose

HB 4042 narrows the statutory definition of “food service establishment” in Michigan’s Food Law (MCL 289.1107) so that rental halls without on‑site kitchens or food preparation areas and that do not prepare food on the premises are excluded from the definition. The stated intent is to relieve certain event venues (for example, outdoor wedding sites and other rental halls that use third‑party caterers) from food service licensing and associated regulatory requirements and fees.

Key provisions

Amends MCL 289.1107 (definition section of the Food Law).

Current law: “food service establishment” generally includes rental halls.

Under HB 4042: a “rental hall” would remain a food service establishment only if it has a kitchen or food preparation area. A rental hall that (1) does not have a kitchen or food preparation space and (2) does not prepare food on the premises would be explicitly excluded.

All other definitions and exclusions in the Food Law remain unchanged.

Who is affected

Directly affected: owners/operators of rental halls and event venues that do not maintain a kitchen or food‑preparation area and do not prepare food on-site (e.g., outdoor event spaces that use outside caterers).

Local public health departments: may see reduced inspection/licensing workload and related local fee revenue for establishments that become exempt.

State agencies and programs: state licensing fees collected under section 3119 (remitted to MDARD and credited to the Dairy and Food Safety Fund) could decline to the extent exempted venues previously paid those fees.

Potential indirect effects: other statutes that reference “food service establishment” (examples cited in committee reports include the Michigan Liquor Control Code, the Public Health Code, and the Use Tax Act) could be affected depending on how those statutes’ provisions rely on the Food Law definition.

Fiscal and legal impact

Fiscal: Committee analyses note a potential reduction in local public health licensing fees and state fee remittances, but the amount is not readily estimable.

Legal/administrative: Uncertainty exists about “knock‑on” impacts where other laws use the Food Law definition; those cross‑references may create unintended changes in eligibility, permitting, or requirements.

Procedural history & status (selected milestones)

Introduced: January 30, 2025 (sponsored by Rep. Tyrone Carter; cosponsors listed).

Reported favorably by the Regulatory Reform Committee; referred to Senate Regulatory Affairs.

Committee reports: completed and reported favorably (multiple committee/staff analyses on file).

Status noted by sponsor material: placed on order of third reading (11/13/2025). (Committee reports also identify this bill as a reintroduction of HB 5911 from the 2023–24 session.)

Sponsors & related notes

Primary sponsor: Rep. Tyrone Carter. Multiple cosponsors including Brian BeGole, Gina Johnsen, Erin Byrnes, Timothy Beson, Alicia St. Germaine, Jimmie Wilson, Jennifer Conlin, John Roth, Kara Hope, and Jaime Greene.

Reintroduced legislation: substantially similar to House Bill 5911 (2023–24).

If you want, I can prepare a short explainer on likely scenarios for event venues (examples of venues that would become exempt vs. still regulated) or compile the specific cross‑references in other statutes that use the Food Law definition.

Bill