Bill Text: CA AB1252 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Retail food safety.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-3)
Status: (Passed) 2013-10-04 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 556, Statutes of 2013. [AB1252 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB1252-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Retail food safety.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-3)
Status: (Passed) 2013-10-04 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 556, Statutes of 2013. [AB1252 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB1252-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 1252 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Committee on Health (Pan (Chair), Logue (Vice Chair), Ammiano, Chesbro, Gomez, Lowenthal, Mitchell, Nazarian, Nestande, Wieckowski, and Wilk) FEBRUARY 22, 2013 An act to amend Sections 113818, 113903, 113949.2, 113953.3, 113973, 114047, 114099.7, 114268, 114271, 114294, 114295, 114315, 114325, and 114335 of, and to add Sections 113806 and 113975 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to food safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1252, as introduced, Committee on Health. Retail food safety. (1) Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, reestablishes uniform health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities, including mobile food facilities and temporary food facilities, by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law provides that local health agencies are primarily responsible for enforcing these provisions. A person who violates any provision of the code is guilty of a misdemeanor, except as otherwise provided. (2) The code requires that all employees of food facilities thoroughly wash their hands before engaging in food preparation and before donning gloves for working with food. The code requires that employees wear gloves when contacting food and food-contact surfaces under certain conditions, including when they have cuts, sores, or rashes. The code also requires owners of food facilities and others, as specified, to require food employees to report to the person in charge if a food employee has a lesion or wound that is open or draining, as specified, unless the lesion is covered or protected. This bill would, among other things, revise the code to require handwashing when changing gloves, except as specified, and that employees wear single-use gloves, as specified, when contacting food and food-contact surfaces under the conditions described above. The bill would prohibit an employee who has a wound, as specified, that is open and draining from handling food, unless the wound is covered, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to the reporting requirement described above. (3) The code requires that a food facility be operated within 200 feet travel distance of an approved and readily available toilet and handwashing facility. This bill would require that the toilet and handwashing facility also be nonresidential. (4) The code requires that a mobile food facility have a water heater with a minimum capacity of 3 gallons, except as specified. This bill would increase the required minimum amount of capacity for a water heater on a mobile food facility to 4 gallons, or, if the facility only utilizes the water for handwashing purposes, require only 1/2 gallon, except as specified. The bill would make other changes relating to mobile food facilities. (5) The code requires a food facility to prevent the entrance and harborage of animals and prohibits a food employee from caring for or handling animals that may be present. The code permits a food employee with a service animal to handle or care for the service animal if the employee washes his or her hands as required. The code defines a service animal to mean a guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. This bill would revise the definition of a "service animal" for purposes of the code to mean a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of, and directly related to, an individual with a disability. The definition would specifically exclude other species of animals, as specified. The bill would also define a "hot dog" for purposes of the code and would make a clarifying change to the definition of "limited food preparation." (6) By revising the standards that must be enforced by local health agencies and by expanding the scope of existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (7) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 113806 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 113806. "Hot dog" means a whole, cured, cooked sausage that is skinless or stuffed in a casing, that may be known as a frankfurter, frank, furter, wiener, red hot, vienna, bologna, garlic bologna, or knockwurst, and that may be served in a bun or roll. SEC. 2. Section 113818 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 113818. (a) "Limited food preparation" means food preparation that is restricted to one or more of the following: (1) Heating, frying, baking, roasting, popping, shaving of ice, blending, steaming or boiling of hot dogs, or assembly of nonprepackaged food. (2) Dispensing and portioning of nonpotentially hazardous food. (3) Holding, portioning, and dispensing of any foods that are prepared for satellite food service by the onsite permanent food facility or prepackaged by another approved source. (4) Slicing and chopping of food on a heated cooking surface during the cooking process. (5) Cooking and seasoning to order. (6) Preparing beverages that are for immediate service, in response to an individual consumer order, that do not contain frozen milk products. (b) "Limited food preparation" does not include any of the following: (1) Slicing and chopping unless it is on the heated cooking surface. (2) Thawing. (3) Cooling of cooked, potentially hazardous food. (4) Grinding raw ingredients or potentially hazardous food. (5) Reheating of potentially hazardous foods for hot holding, except for steamed or boiled hot dogs and tamales in the original, inedible wrapper. (6)HotExcept as authorized in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), hot holding of nonprepackaged, potentially hazardous food, except for roasting corn on the cobroasting corn on the cob, steamed or boiled hot dogs, and tamales in the original, inedible wrapper. (7) Washing of foods. (8) Cooking of potentially hazardous foods for later use. SEC. 3. Section 113903 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 113903. (a) "Service animal" meansan animal such as a guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disabilityany dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. "Service animal" does not include any other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained . (b) The work or tasks performed by a service animal shall be directly related to the individual's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing nonviolent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this subdivision. SEC. 4. Section 113949.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 113949.2. The owner who has a food safety certificate issued pursuant to Section 113947.1 or the food employee who has this food safety certificate shall instruct all food employees regarding the relationship between personal hygiene and food safety, including the association of hand contact, personal habits and behaviors, and food employee health to foodborne illness. The owner or food safety certified employee shall require food employees to report the following to the person in charge: (a) If a food employee is diagnosed with an illness due to one of the following: (1) Salmonella typhi. (2) Salmonella spp. (3) Shigella spp. (4) Entamoeba histolytica. (5) Enterohemorrhagic or shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli. (6) Hepatitis A virus. (7) Norovirus. (b) If a food employee has alesion orwound that isopen or draining and isone of the following: (1) On the hands or wrists, unless an impermeable cover such as a finger cot or stall protects thelesionwound and a single-use glove is worn over the impermeable cover. (2) On exposed portions of the arms, unless thelesionwound is protected by an impermeable cover. (3) On other parts of the body, unless thelesionwound is covered by a dry, durable, tight-fitting bandage. SEC. 5. Section 113953.3 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 113953.3. (a) Except as specified in subdivision (b), all employees shall thoroughly wash their hands and that portion, if any, of their arms exposed to direct food contact with cleanser and warm water by vigorously rubbing together the surfaces of their lathered hands and arms for at least 10 to 15 seconds and thoroughly rinsing with clean running water followed by drying of cleaned hands and that portion, if any, of their arms exposed. Employees shall pay particular attention to the areas underneath the fingernails and between the fingers. Employees shall wash their hands in all of the following instances: (1) Immediately before engaging in food preparation, including working with nonprepackaged food, clean equipment and utensils, and unwrapped single-use food containers and utensils. (2) After touching bare human body parts other than clean hands and clean, exposed portions of arms. (3) After using the toilet room. (4) After caring for or handling any animal allowed in a food facility pursuant to this part. (5) After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or disposable tissue, using tobacco, eating, or drinking. (6) After handling soiled equipment or utensils. (7) During food preparation, as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination and to prevent cross-contamination when changing tasks. (8) When switching between working with raw food and working with ready-to-eat food. (9) Before initially donning gloves for working with food and when changing gloves as required in Section 113973. Handwashing is not required between glove changes when no contamination of the gloves or hands has occurred . (10) Before dispensing or serving food or handling clean tableware and serving utensils in the food service area. (11) After engaging in other activities that contaminate the hands. (b) If approved and capable of removing the types of soils encountered in the food operations involved, an automatic handwashing facility may be used by food employees to clean their hands. SEC. 6. Section 113973 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 113973. (a)GlovesSingle-use gloves shall be worn when contacting food and food-contact surfaces if the employee has any cuts, sores, rashes, artificial nails, nail polish, rings (other than a plain ring, such as a wedding band), uncleanable orthopedic support devices, or fingernails that are not clean, smooth, or neatly trimmed. (b) Whenever gloves are worn, they shall be changed, replaced, or washed as often as handwashing is required by this part. Single-use gloves shall not be washed. (c) If used, single-use gloves shall be used for only one task, such as working with ready-to-eat food or with raw food of animal origin, used for no other purpose, and shall be discarded when damaged or soiled, or when interruptions in the food handling occur. (d) Except as specified in subdivision (e), slash-resistant gloves that are used to protect the hands during operations requiring cutting shall be used only with food that is subsequently cooked as specified in Section 114004, such as frozen food or a primal cut of meat. (e) Slash-resistant gloves may be used with ready-to-eat food that will not be subsequently cooked if the slash-resistant gloves have a smooth, durable, and nonabsorbent outer surface or if the slash-resistant gloves are covered with a smooth, durable, nonabsorbent glove, or a single-use glove. (f) Cloth gloves may not be used in direct contact with food unless the food is subsequently cooked. SEC. 7. Section 113975 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 113975. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), an employee who has a wound that is open or draining shall not handle food. (b) A food employee who has a wound is restricted from food handling unless the food employee complies with all of the following: (1) If the wound is located on the hand or wrist, an impermeable cover, such as a finger cot or stall, shall protect the wound. A single-use glove shall be worn over the impermeable cover. (2) If the wound is located on exposed portions of the arms, an impermeable cover shall protect the wound. (3) If the wound is located on other parts of the body, a dry, durable, tight-fitting bandage shall cover the wound. (4) For purposes of this section, a wound also includes a cut, sore, rash, or lesion. SEC. 8. Section 114047 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114047. (a) Adequate and suitable space shall be provided for the storage of food. (b) Except as specified in subdivisions (c)and, (d), and (e), food shall be protected from contamination by storing the food in a clean, dry location, where it is not exposed to splash, dust, vermin, or other forms of contamination or adulteration, and at least six inches above the floor. (c) Food in packages and working containers may be stored less than six inches above the floor on case lot handling equipment as specified under Section 114165. (d) Pressurized beverage containers, cased food in waterproof containers such as bottles or cans, and milk containers in plastic crates may be stored on a floor that is clean and not exposed to moisture. (e) Temporary alternate food storage methods and locations may be approved by the local enforcement agency. SEC. 9. Section 114099.7 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114099.7. Mechanical sanitization shall be accomplished in the final sanitizing rinse by one of the following: (a) By being cycled through equipment that is used in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and achieving a utensil surface temperature of 160 F as measured by an irreversible registering temperature indicator. (b) The mechanical application of sanitizing chemicals by pressure spraying methods using one of the following solutions: (1) Contact with a solution of 50 ppm available chlorine for at least 30 seconds. (2) Contact with a solution of 25 ppm available iodine for at least one minute. (3) Contact with any chemical sanitizer that meets the requirements of Section 180.940 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations when used in accordance with the following: (A) The sanitizer manufacturer's use directions as specified on the product label. (B) The machine manufacturer's specifications as provided in the manufacturer's operating instructions. (c) After being cleaned and sanitized, equipment and utensils shall not be rinsed before air drying or use unless: (1) The rinse is applied directly from a potable water supply by a warewashing machine that meets the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 114130 and is maintained and operated in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. (2) The rinse is applied only after the equipment and utensils have been sanitized by the application of hot water or by the application of a chemical sanitizer solution whose United States Environmental Protection Agency-registered, label use instructions require rinsing off the sanitizer after it is applied in an approved commercial warewashing machine. SEC. 10. Section 114268 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114268. (a) Except in sales areas and as otherwise specified in subdivision (d), the floor surfaces in all areas in which food is prepared, prepackaged, or stored, where any utensil is washed, where refuse or garbage is stored, where janitorial facilities are located in all toilet and handwashing areas, except with respect to areas relating to guestroom accommodations and the private accommodations of owners and operators in restricted food service facilities,and in employee change and storage areasshall be smooth and of durable construction and nonabsorbent material that is easily cleanable. (b) Floor surfaces shall be coved at the juncture of the floor and wall with a 3/8 inch minimum radius coving and shall extend up the wall at least 4 inches, except in areas where food is stored only in unopened bottles, cans, cartons, sacks, or other original shipping containers. (c) Public or private schools constructed or remodeled after the effective date of this part shall comply with subdivision (b). Public and private schools constructed before the effective date of this part need not comply with subdivision (b), provided that the existing floor surfaces are maintained in good repair and in a sanitary condition. (d) Except for dining and serving areas, the use of sawdust, wood shavings, peanut hulls, or similar materials is prohibited. (e) This section shall not prohibit the use of approved dust-arresting floor sweeping and cleaning compounds during floor cleaning operations or the use of antislip floor finishes or materials in areas where necessary for safety reasons. SEC. 11. Section 114271 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114271. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the walls and ceilings of all rooms shall be of a durable, smooth, nonabsorbent, and easily cleanable surface. (b) This section shall not apply to any of the following areas: (1) Walls and ceilings of bar areas in which alcoholic beverages are sold or served directly to the consumers, except wall areas adjacent to bar sinks and areas where food is prepared. (2) Areas where food is stored only in unopened bottles, cans, cartons, sacks, or other original shipping containers. (3) Dining and sales areas. (4) Offices. (5) Restrooms that are used exclusively by the consumers, except that the walls and ceilings in the restrooms shall be of a nonabsorbent and washable surface. (6) Dressing rooms, dressing areas, or locker areas. (c) Acoustical paneling may be utilized if it is installed not less than six feet above the floor. The paneling shall meet the other requirements of this section. (d) Conduits of all types shall be installed within walls as practicable. When otherwise installed, they shall be mounted or enclosed so as to facilitate cleaning. (e) Attachments to walls and ceilings, such as light fixtures, mechanical room ventilation system components, vent covers, wall mounted fans, decorative items, and other attachments, shall be easily cleanable. SEC. 12. Section 114294 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114294. (a) All mobile food facilities and mobile support units shall meet the applicable requirements inChapters 1 to 8Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 113700) to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 114250) , inclusive,andChapter1312.6 (commencing with Section 114377), and Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 114380) , unless specifically exempted from any of these provisions as provided in this chapter. (b) The enforcement agency shall initially approve all mobile food facilities and mobile support units as complying with the provisions of this chapter and may require reapproval if deemed necessary. (c) Each mobile food facility that is either a special purpose commercial modular and coach as defined by Section 18012.5 or a commercial modular coach as defined by Section 18001.8 shall be certified by the Department of Housing and Community Development, consistent with Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18025) of Part 2 of Division 13, and regulations promulgated pursuant to that chapter. In addition, the enforcement agency shall approve all equipment installation prior to operation. SEC. 13. Section 114295 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114295. (a) Except as specified in subdivision (b), all mobile food facilities shall operate in conjunction with a commissary, mobile support unit, or other facility approved by the enforcement agency. (b) This section does not apply to mobile food facilities that operate at community events as defined in Section 113755 and that remain in a fixed position during food preparation and its hours of operation , if potable water and liquid waste disposal facilities are available to mobile food facilities requiring potable water . (c) Mobile food facilities shall be stored at or within a commissary or other location approved by the enforcement agency in order to have protection from unsanitary conditions. (d) Mobile support units shall be operated from and stored at a designated commissary and shall be subject to permitting and plan review. (e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, a mobile food facility that is engaged in food preparation, other than limited food preparation, as defined in Section 113818, shall not operate in conjunction with a mobile support unit. SEC. 14. Section 114315 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114315. (a) A food facility shall be operated within 200 feet travel distance of an approved nonresidential and readily available toilet and handwashing facility, or as otherwise approved by the enforcement agency, to ensure that restroom facilities are available to facility employees whenever the mobile food facility is stopped to conduct business for more than a one-hour period. (b) This section does not limit the authority of a local governing body to adopt, by ordinance or resolution, additional requirements for the public safety, including reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions pursuant to its authority under subdivision (b) of Section 22455 of the Vehicle Code. SEC. 15. Section 114325 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114325. (a) Except on a mobile food facility that only utilizes the water for handwashing purposes, a water heater or an instantaneous heater capable of heating water to a minimum of 120 F, interconnected with a potable water supply, shall be provided and shall operate independently of the vehicle engine. On a mobile food facility that only utilizes the water for handwashing purposes, a minimum one-half gallon -capacity water heater or an instantaneous water heater capable of heating water to a minimum of 100 F, interconnected with a potable water supply, shall be provided and shall operate independently of the vehicle engine. (b)(1)Except as specified in paragraph (2), aA water heater with a minimum capacity ofthreefour gallons shall be provided for mobile food facilities that have a warewashing sink .(2) A minimum water heater capacity of one-half gallon shall be provided for mobile food facilities approved for limited food preparation.(c) A mobile food facility equipped with a three-gallon-capacity water heater that is in compliance with this section on January 1, 2014, is in compliance with this section after that date. SEC. 16. Section 114335 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114335. (a) Temporary food facilities that operate at a swap meet are limited to only prepackaged nonpotentially hazardous food and whole uncut produce, and shall meet the applicable requirements inChapters 1 to 8Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 113700) to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 114250) , inclusive,andChapter1312.6 (commencing with Section 114377), and Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 114380) , unless specifically exempted from any of these provisions. (b) Temporary food facilities that operate at a community event shall meet the applicable requirements inChapters 1 to 8Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 113700) to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 114250) , inclusive,andChapter1312.6 (commencing with Section 114377), and Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 114380) , unless specifically exempted from any of these provisions. (c) Food facility requirements shall be determined by the enforcement agency based on the food service activity to be conducted, the type of food that is to be prepared or served, the length of the event, and the extent of food preparation that is to be conducted at a community event within a temporary food facility. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the enforcement agency may allow temporary food facilities at a swap meet, depending on the food service activity to be conducted, the type of food that is to be prepared or served, the duration of the swap meet, and the extent of food preparation that is to be conducted at the swap meet. SEC. 17. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution. However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.