{"AmendmentNumber":"259","ParentBillNumber":"H5562","Bill":null,"Sponsor":{"Id":"MSV1","Name":"Marcus S. Vaughn","Type":1,"Details":"https://malegislature.gov/api/GeneralCourts/194/LegislativeMembers/MSV1","ResponseDate":"2026-07-06T15:24:30.987"},"Category":null,"Action":"Consolidated","RollCall":[],"Title":"Food Truck Permitting","Branch":"House","RedraftNumber":null,"IsFurther":false,"GeneralCourtNumber":194,"Text":"Mr. Vaughn of Wrentham moves to amend the bill by adding the following section: SECTION XX. Chapter 94 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 328 the following section:—\r\n\r\nSection 329. Universal Mobile Food Vendor Permitting and Reciprocity Program.\r\n\r\n(a) The department of public health, in consultation with the division of occupational licensure, the executive office of economic development and the Massachusetts Municipal Association, shall establish a Universal Mobile Food Vendor Permitting and Reciprocity Program to reduce unnecessary regulatory barriers to small business growth, promote entrepreneurship, enhance tourism and economic activity, and streamline municipal permitting requirements applicable to mobile food establishments operating within the commonwealth.\r\n\r\n(b) The department shall develop, implement and maintain a centralized digital permitting portal through which a mobile food vendor may:\r\n\r\n(1) apply for and renew a statewide mobile food vendor safety certificate;\r\n\r\n(2) submit documentation demonstrating compliance with applicable state sanitary codes, including proof of commissary or base-of-operation agreements and required inspections;\r\n\r\n(3) provide notice to participating municipalities of the vendor's intent to operate within such municipalities; and\r\n\r\n(4) maintain a digital record of permits, inspections and compliance certifications.\r\n\r\n(c) A municipality participating in the program shall recognize a valid mobile food vendor permit, health inspection approval or statewide safety certificate issued pursuant to this section as satisfying local health and food safety inspection requirements. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a participating municipality from enforcing local ordinances, bylaws or regulations relating to:\r\n\r\n(1) zoning;\r\n\r\n(2) traffic and parking management;\r\n\r\n(3) fire and public safety;\r\n\r\n(4) reasonable time, place and manner restrictions governing mobile food vendor operations; and\r\n\r\n(5) local licensing requirements that are not inconsistent with this section.\r\n\r\n(d) A participating municipality shall not require a duplicate health inspection or impose a duplicate health permit fee upon a mobile food vendor that possesses a valid statewide safety certificate issued pursuant to this section and remains in compliance with all applicable state sanitary regulations.\r\n\r\n(e) The department shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement this section, including regulations establishing standards for reciprocity, recognition of health inspections, data sharing, enforcement procedures and a standardized fee schedule for use of the digital permitting portal. The department may distribute a portion of fees collected pursuant to this section to participating municipalities to offset reasonable administrative costs incurred in implementing the program.\r\n\r\n(f) Not later than January 31 of each year, the department shall submit a report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives detailing: (i) program participation; (ii) permit processing times; (iii) municipal participation rates; (iv) revenues and expenditures associated with the program; and (v) recommendations, if any, for improving regulatory efficiency, municipal participation and small business growth within the mobile food vendor sector.\r\n"}