BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — In their latest victory, California street food vendors have pushed lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 972, moving the industry one more step forward by granting easier access to permits.
Ahmad Saphieh and his brother Mohammed are the operators of Pita Paradise, a local Mediterranean-inspired food truck that has grown in popularity over the years. They understand the importances of safety and proper permitting in this business.
“I think it’s a great thing because we need more people with licensing," Saphieh said. “The fact that if you get your licensing means you’re doing the right thing."
Over the years, unnecessary and expensive requirements have often times discouraged potential street food vendors, until now.
“The law was really intended to expand street vending food operations and allow them to get permits through the health department by reducing some of those structural requirements which were really the hangup for a lot of those operations," said Amy Rutledge, Assistant Director of Kern County Public Health.
Taking effect at the start of this year, SB 972 modernizes sections of the California Retail Food Code. For example, vendors under 25 square feet selling soley prepackaged food items no longer need a permit. It also created a new category for compact mobile food operations, which in-lines more with street food vendors rather than food trucks.
“Really provide an opportunity for more street food vendors get permitted and join the regulated community, like those of food trucks, and it really does give them more opportunities," Rutledge said. "It does still keep in place those food safety issues.”
While food vendors will still be under the discretion of the health department, SB 972 removes barriers while maintaining safety standards.
“Giving the opportunity to all those people to really go out and get their licensing easier, means a lot," said Saphieh.
For information on getting a street food vending permitting, visit Kern County Public Health here.
