02/26/2026
Colorado’s legislature might finally be doing something very important.
Lawmakers are considering a bipartisan bill, House Bill 26-1033, also known as the “Tamale Act,” that would expand what homemade foods can legally be sold in our state. Right now, under the Cottage Foods Act, anything that requires refrigeration or contains meat is off limits. Yes, that includes the good stuff.
If this bill passes, home cooks could legally sell items like tamales as long as they complete a food safety course and follow proper handling requirements. In other words, common sense guardrails instead of blanket bans.
Supporters, including Governor Jared Polis, say this would remove unnecessary barriers, create real opportunities for small kitchen entrepreneurs, and especially support members of the Latino community who have been doing this work for generations. It would also bring Colorado in line with other states that already allow certain homemade perishable foods to be sold.
Personally, I am fully in favor of a world where I can buy homemade tamales without feeling like I am conducting a covert parking lot transaction. Legal, regulated, and still wrapped in corn husks. That sounds like progress to me.
