TRAINING FOR FOOD ALLERGIES                                                             S.B. 730 (S-3):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 730 (Substitute S-3 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Senator Judy K. Emmons

Committee:  Regulatory Reform

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Food Law to do the following:

-- Require at least one certified managerial employee of certain food establishments to be employed as a food safety manager.

-- Require a certified food safety manager to view a video or complete other training concerning food allergies.

-- Require a food service establishment to display a poster relative to food allergy awareness, or post the same information in a different, readable notice, in the establishment's staff area.

-- Require a food service establishment to provide a notice to customers, either on the menu or on a window sticker placed at the main entrance, of the customer's obligation to inform the server about any food allergies.

The Law requires certain food establishments to employ at least one managerial employee who is currently certified under a personnel certification program accredited by the American National Standards Institute, using standards of the Conference for Food Protection. This requirement applies to the following:

-- A food service establishment that is not a licensed temporary food service establishment or a vending machine.

-- An extended retail food establishment.

-- A food establishment operated within a retail grocery.

The bill would retain that requirement but would require the certified managerial employee to be employed as a food safety manager.

MCL 289.2129 et al.                                                 Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on State and local governments. Under the bill, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development would be required to approve some type of training program concerning food allergies for retail food establishments.

Local governments, through local public health departments in their role as primary inspectors of retail food establishments, would be required to bear the burden of interfacing with retail food establishments concerning the requirements of the bill, but it is doubtful that these requirements would add significantly to time spent on the health departments' current regulatory activities.

Date Completed:  9-23-14                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Bruce Baker

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.