When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Three young Michigan brothers brought their fight against a $400 licensing fee to run their beloved lemonade stand all the way to the state house — successfully convincing lawmakers to take up their cause.
The Mielke boys, Ethan, 13, Seth, 11, and Jonathan, 8, learned a few weeks into last summer that they would need a permit from their district’s health department to sell their homemade lemonade at a farmer’s market stand in Rogers City, the Washington Post reported.
After reaching out to the health department, the brothers learned they would need to purchase a temporary food license for $57 every two weeks — adding up to nearly a $400 bill for the summer operation, the outlet reported.
The cost would effectively wipe out the profits of the “Triple M Goods” stand, which charges 50 cents a lemonade for adults and 10 cents a pop for kids. The hefty cost forced the brothers to stop their business after three years.
Though some US states allow lemonade stands to operate without permits, Michigan lemonade stands are required to have a license, with enforcement being left up to local health departments.
Instead of throwing in the towel, the discouraged Mielke brothers decided to write letters and attend a coffee hour in Alpeno with Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) to voice their opposition to the fee.
Cavitt told the outlet that he was struck by the “well-mannered boys” and decided to help them change the law.
The trio of youngsters testified at a committee hearing in Lansing on June 11 before lawmakers.
“It was a little bit uneasy, but after a while we got used to it,” Ethan said of the hearing.
After the moving testimony, the Michigan House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass House Bill 6007 on June 25, allowing minors to run lemonade stands without the burden of permits and licensing fees.
Under the bill’s terms, the young entrepreneurs can continue with their business so long as they sell non-alcoholic beverages that don’t need to be refrigerated and earn less than $5,000 a year.
The legislation will now proceed to Michigan’s Senate for a vote.
“They were pretty excited,” the boy’s mother, Jessica Mielke, told the outlet. “It was a pretty neat experience for them to see how the process works when you have an idea or want a law changed.”
Cavitt released a statement toasting to the win, which would help “make life a little sweeter for kids across our state.”
“It’s time to raise a glass and celebrate,” Cavitt said.
“Children from our community initially brought this issue to my attention when their local health department demanded that they pay repeated fees to run their lemonade stand,” he added.
“It’s refreshing to see Republicans and Democrats come together to support our youth,” Cavitt said. “This is a practical change that will make it easier for our kids to gain real business experience and develop civic responsibility. I was glad to see the votes pour in.”
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