Hicks-Hudson Introduces Bill to Aid Food Truck Owners

This week, state Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) introduced Senate Bill 203, which would require state and local fire code officials to accept an inspection or permit issued by another jurisdiction as evidence of a mobile food vendor’s compliance with Ohio Fire Code.

"This bill will eliminate barriers and red tape for small business owners," Hicks-Hudson said. “The Ohio Fire Code contains substantive safety requirements that mobile food trucks must follow at all times. This legislation would allow for businesses who meet these requirements by one local authority to take that permit wherever they operate. When county health departments conduct their inspections and issue permits to operate, these same mobile food vendors can take that anywhere in the county. Vendors should not have to jump through additional hoops to operate in a neighboring city when they’ve already passed a fire safety inspection.”

Currently, local fire departments (or fire prevention officers) in Ohio have broad authority to conduct inspections for fire safety purposes. While the Ohio Fire Code does not require inspections or permits for food trucks to operate, political subdivisions are allowed to establish local fire codes that may create inspection and permitting programs. 

For owners of businesses that currently move between communities and counties, this can mean they may need to be inspected by and receive an operating permit from every city and town in which they wish to conduct business. Not only do these inspections take time during which they could be operating their businesses, but they are also often accompanied by fees that the owner must pay.

Senate Bill 203 now awaits hearings in the Senate Government Oversight Committee.