PHOENIX β A House panel took the first steps to keeping Arizonans involved in community potlucks on the right side of the law.
Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, said she learned that Pinal County officials were cracking down on potluck dinners organized at an Apache Junction trailer park.
Townsend said she thought it was some kind of a joke. But they assured her it was not.
It turns out that state health laws require regulations of all sorts of situations where food is served.
There is an exception for a "noncommercial social event.'' And the law even mentions potlucks as an example.
Only thing is, that exemption applies only when the event is at a workplace. So that made the gathering at the mobile home park illegal.
Townsend said she finds the whole thing "goofy.''
"It's one of many things where government gets involved where it ought not to,'' she said.
So Townsend on Thursday got the House Committee on Government and Higher Education to approve legislation saying that a potluck doesn't have to occur at work to avoid being shut down by health officials.
Townsend said she's not concerned that unmonitored potlucks will result in people getting sick. She said individuals need to take responsibility for deciding whether to participate.
"In the case of a potluck, the word 'luck' says it all,'' she quipped.
"So it's up to the person to take their chances,'' Townsend continued. "And if they want to take part of the potluck, it's up to them.''
HB 2341 now needs House approval.
