Jodie: Does the committee vote on the bill first? Then if they decide it's ok, it goes to the House of Delegates? Who should be be directing our letters to? I'll put a message on the Facebook page as well to tell people to keep writing!


I am really interested to hear details about the hearing, if you get a chance to tell us and feel like sharing, Nytepyre! Were there any members that you feel we need to make our case to via letters?

We had just one delegate asking questions, he asked two, and I'm paraphrasing.

1) Have you really thought this through? being willing for people to come into your home and inspect your kitchen at any time?

A. Yes, we have thought it through over and over. We both felt as though anything we had to go through was worth the ability to own our own businesses and do what we love as a legal living.

2) What do you have to say about the bakers who do pay for brick and mortar bakeries and pay those property taxes, you'll be taking sales from them?

A. Home bakers cannot produce on a scale even competitive with larger bakeries. They produce many cakes each week, a home baker does less than that, and usually fills a gap in the market, not taking existing clientelle from other bakers.

After I got in the car I wish I had mentioned the sense of family among both commercial kitchen bakers and home bakers, that often large-scale bakers started as home bakers and there is a sense of community there. But I didn't.... Oh well!

Most of the delegates seemed receptive, none expressed a "dislike" for the bill at all. The one asking the questions, and his name escapes me right now, I was sooooo nervous, lol, was concerned that it might not be completely thought through, but wouldn't say how. He was, however, interested and supportive and said he wished things were simpler and he could just buy cakes and pies from whomever he pleased.

I mentioned that I live in Howard County and afterward the delegate from HoCo found me and said she usually used a bakery I know of, but she'd like to get my info from Del. Love so she could order from me eventually. I laughed with my husband in the car, it was so funny.

I'm so excited!!! Nytepyre, thank you, thank you, thank you! You indeed rock! I am looking forward to hearing the outcome. I have turned the Maryland Legislature website upside down looking for updates on the bill but couldn't find any. Perhaps updates will be posted tomorrow if at all.

Awesome answers, Nytepyre!!! Could not have said it better myself. You made us all proud!!! I'm not sure I would have even thought of mentioning the camaraderie amongst commercial and home bakers in answer to that question, especially being put on the spot...I did mention something about "everyone starting out small" in my letter to the committee, using Duff Goldman as an example, so hopefully, if they actually read it, they'll get that impression in a different context as well!

WOW...I am so glad to hear they sounded more receptive than last year!!! It's definite progress!!! Can't wait to hear from Del. Love's office!!

Again - thanks Nytepyre for an AWESOME job testifying!!!!
And Thanks to Jodie for getting the ball rolling (again!) this year!!!

I just called Delegate Love. She said that the hearing went very well yesterday. The committee member asking questions is a new delegate, so that's why he asked a lot of questions (according to Delegate Love). She also said that the people testifying seemed more comfortable this year (yay, good job!). She doesn't know when the committee will vote on the bill. She said that we can continue to call or write to the delegates on the committee to express our desire for HB 607 to pass.

Sounds great, Jodie! Thanks for the update.

FYI: We have 181 Facebook Fans now! Not too shabby for about a week being active!

I'm glad Del. Love was so positive about the experience. I really hope this gets the ball rolling for us!

I received a letter back from one of my delegates who responded that he was totally in favor of this bill and would be encouraging his colleagues to vote for it as well! Keep our fingers crossed!!

Great news, sweetpea!! Curious...is your delegate one of the ones on the committee? Mine aren't, so I'm going to pick a couple today that are & write to them, too...but I was thinking last night we should maybe try to contact as many of the different committee members as possible before they vote?
So far, the ones I know that have been contacted are * below. Anyone else want to add a * so we know which ones have not yet been contacted?

[email protected] - Chair: Baltimore City
[email protected] - V.Chair: Howard
[email protected] - Anne Arundel... See More
[email protected] - Fred. & Wash.
[email protected] - Prince Georges
[email protected] - AA & PG
[email protected] - Montgomery
[email protected] - Baltimore City
[email protected] - Carroll
[email protected] - Prince Georges
[email protected] - Baltimore Co.
*[email protected] - Baltimore Co.
[email protected] - Cecil & Harford
[email protected] - Carroll & Frederick 4B
[email protected] - Baltimore County
[email protected] - Prince Georges
[email protected] - Washington
[email protected] - Montgomery
[email protected] - Anne Arundel
*[email protected] - Harford & Baltimore Co.
[email protected] - Baltimore City
[email protected] - Baltimore Co.
[email protected] - Calvert

Unfortunately neither are on the committee. I'll be glad to send a few more emails.

I spoke personally with Del. Pendergrass at the hearing, I'm a HoCo resident. I'll be writing this week too! Hoping some good stuff comes of this!

Thanks, Nytepyre! Way to go to the top with the vice chair!

I am going to drop a line to Dan Riley (Cecil & Harford) and Dan Morhaim (he's been contacted but sounds like he needs a nudge...

BTW: Over 200 fans on Facebook! YAY!

Ok, kinda psyched (even if it's too late...still very cool!)
Mary Alice emailed me back from CCC - apparently they've been closed since Feb. 5, and just got back, but she was curious about what happened with the bill, etc. I emailed her back and said it's not too late to write the committee, gave her the info, and thanked her for taking the time to email me.
Feelin' pretty cool right now....Mary Alice emailed me! Hehe!! LOL!

Alright! That's so exciting!

<-----sitting here on pins and needles waiting to hear the results of this.

Me, too!! I am getting nervous. It's hard not to get excited at the prospect of being able to sell my cakes & cookies...but I'm trying not to get my hopes up - I know it's a long process, and usually takes a few years/attempts before the committee....
But it's SOOOO hard not to think 'what if'....

I have some disappointing news. The committee still has not voted, but Delegate Love sent me 3 letters she received in opposition to our Bill. The letters came from the Department of Health and the Maryland Farm Bureau, who will have much more clout with the committee than we do, unfortunately. I will try to remember to scan the letters on Monday to share on this site. Part of their objection is that a revised law goes into effect in March that allows home bakers to sell at farmers markets without any restrictions, and so the Dept. of Health and the Farm Bureau think our bill creates too many new restrictions. That's true and is a fair point. We can always take out the farmers market reference if we reintroduce the bill next year. The Dept. of Health also had many reservations about allowing us to sell goods from our houses, though--saying it then involves zoning issues, sewer line issues, etc. Maybe if we introduce this bill next year we can say something about delivery only? That way no one needs to come into our homes? But there were other objections in there as well, which I can't remember now.

There's still hope as the committee hasn't voted, but it's highly unlikely that it will pass given these oppositions.

Oh no, well Im still keeping my fingers cross. Thanks for sharing.

That is disappointing, but it just means we have more info for next year's bill. (Have to look at the bright side!) Hopefully the opposition has helped us with their letters. Still hoping for a positive outcome, but if not, we just need to get motivated to try again next year!

OMG!!! I'm just finding this Forum today!!! I can't believe I didn't know anything about this!

I have been waiting for somethng like this for SO LONG! I can't believe that this is such a problem for the Department of Health...My kitchen is cleaner than a lot of restaurant kitchens and I'm so attentive to following ServSafe rules that it borders on paranoia. While I don't have a separate kitchen to bake in I don't bake alongside others cooking in the kitchen, I clean and sanitize everything, I store separately my ingredients in airtight containers, I have separate bake/cookware/utensils and I have a separate fridge for my baked goods...Why shouldn't I be allowed to bake and sell from my home?!!? I'm sorry I'm venting...I've been frustrated with this for over 10 years now. I'm a stay at home mom, my husband and I make ends meet off of his salary it would be very hard for me to come up with the money to open a store front...I really need this bill to pass as I'm sure most of you all do too...Is there anything else that we can do?

Jodie, thanks for the update, it IS true, the restrictions and regulations are excessive, I wish we could find a happy medium!

I'm interested in this as well. Does this mean that anyone will be able to sell at a farmers market??

I'd love to get more information about the farmer's market's in MD too.... very interesting!

I'm new to this site so this is all new to me but if the law going into effect in March lets home bakers sell their products at farmers markets then whats the problem with us selling our custom cakes to people that COME TO US wanting them. It's just frustrating to me.

Pastryqueen, yes same here. Im a stay at home mom, too. I used to work in daycare and in the kitchen. I even have my food and handling license. The same way I ran my kitchen at work, I do at home. I just feel like crying but must stay strong and positive. I can not understand how they will allowed us to sale at a farmer's market, so confusing. All that dust in the air and people just want to touch, Oh may!!!! This is crazy. At least, yes we can sale some where but a farmer's market.

Bummer....bill was voted unfavorable by the committee...
Not sure if Jodie has heard from Del. Love yet, but DH found this online just now. Apparently they voted yesterday.
http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/billfile/HB0607.htm

Here's the link that lists how each member voted:

http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/votes_comm/hb0607_hgo.pdf


Interestingly enough, one of the members (ahem...Pat McDonogh) who voted NAY sent DH a letter back saying he looked forward to voting favorably.....grrr - I hate politics....

Looks like we all need to strongly consider how we vote in this years upcoming elections - some of these members may be up for re-election...

MANY thanks to Jodie and those who testified (Nytepyre and one other, I believe?) and Del. Love. I look forward to getting this going next year again. Not giving up!!!

Moving along....Anyone know anything about this selling at farmers markets thing???

What a disappointment about the bill...I had my hopes up...not going to let it stop me...still moving forward and I'm definitely looking forward to a new bill next year

I was on line a moment ago looking at area farmer's markets and it seems that the requirements are diffferent...depending on the county you live in.

I'm disappointed, but hopeful for next year! No cake for them! Haha.

I'm curious about the Farmer's Market thing too, but I heard (word of mouth) that you had to be a "farmer". WTH that means I don't know. Need to reasearch!