A state lawmaker is moving to close a bizarre regulatory loophole that prohibits residents from holding potlucks in their own home or church.
Arizona state Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, called the ban a “legislative oversight” and is championing a bill to refine the statute’s language to legalize potlucks across the state.
The law initially was written to subject all served food to safety regulations and health department inspections. However, lawmakers explicitly exempted potlucks and other “noncommercial social events” if they occur at a workplace.
Since the exemption did not include potlucks held in homes or churches, the law effectively made them illegal in Arizona. Anyone caught hosting a potluck outside the workplace could be slapped with a fine or even arrested....