SB 972

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law, the California Retail Food Code (the code) , establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities and requires local health agencies to enforce these provisions. Existing law, for purposes of the code, defines a "cottage food operation" as an enterprise that has no more than a specified amount in gross annual sales, is operated by a cottage food operator, and has no more than 1 full-time employee within the registered or permitted area of a private home where the food products are prepared and packaged. Existing law provides for the regulation of microenterprise home kitchen operations and limits those operations to not serving more than 30 individual meals per day and not more than 60 individual meals per week and to no more than $50,000 in verifiable gross annual sales, as adjusted for inflation. Existing law authorizes the local enforcement agency to decrease the limit on the number of individual meals prepared based on the food preparation capacity of the operation. This bill would authorize a cottage food operation or microenterprise home kitchen operation to serve as a commissary or mobile support unit for up to 2 compact mobile food operations if the cottage food operation or microenterprise home kitchen operation permit includes an endorsement from the local enforcement agency that the cottage food operation or microenterprise home kitchen operation is capable of supporting the preparation and storage of the food being sold from the compact mobile food operation and the storage and cleaning of the compact mobile food operation. The bill would authorize nonpotentially hazardous foods prepared in a cottage food operation to be served from a compact mobile food operation. The bill would define "compact mobile food operation" as a mobile food facility that operates from an individual or from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other nonmotorized conveyance. The bill would require compact food operations to conduct only limited food preparation. (2) The code defines "limited food preparation" as food preparation that is restricted to specified activities, including dispensing or portioning of nonpotentially hazardous food, slicing and chopping of food on a heated cooking surface during the cooking process, and holding, portioning, and dispensing foods that are prepared at a satellite food service or catering operation. This bill would include in the definition of "limited food preparation" dispensing and portioning for immediate service to a customer of food that has been temperature controlled until immediately prior to portioning or dispensing, slicing and chopping of nonpotentially hazardous food or produce that has been washed at an approved facility, hot and cold holding of food previously prepared at an approved permanent food facility, and reheating of food that has been previously prepared at an approved permanent food facility and held at the approved temperatures. (3) The code defines "mobile food facility" and regulates what types of food may be provided at a mobile food facility. The code requires mobile food facilities to meet specified health and safety standards, including access to warewashing sinks, restrooms, and handwashing facilities and required quantities of potable water. This bill would require a compact mobile food operation to meet the applicable requirements of mobile food facilities, except as specified. The bill would exempt a compact mobile food operation that has 25 square feet or less of display area and sells only prepackaged, nonpotentially hazardous foods or whole uncooked produce from the code, except as specified. The bill would authorize a compact mobile food operation to display or sell food outdoors, if certain conditions are met, including, among other things, overhead protection provided above all food display areas. The bill would require a compact mobile food operation that engages in the preparation of raw meat, raw poultry, or raw fish to meet additional specified requirements. The bill would authorize the enforcement agency to preapprove a standard plan for a standardized or mass-produced facility intended to serve as a compact mobile food operation and would authorize a compact mobile food operation to use that standardized or mass-produced facility after a final inspection, but without submitting plans for the individual unit. The bill would authorize the enforcement agency to collect a fee for the final inspection. (4) Existing law requires commissaries and other approved facilities servicing mobile support units, mobile food facilities, and vending machines to meet specified standards. This bill would authorize an enforcement agency to approve a facility with nonconforming structural conditions if those conditions do not pose a public health hazard. The bill would also require an enforcement agency to approve the storage of a compact mobile food facility in a permitted permanent food facility if, after initial inspection, the agency determines that the compact mobile food facility is protected from contamination. The bill would authorize the enforcement agency to charge a fee to administer these provisions. (5) The code requires a food facility to have a valid permit to be open for business and authorizes the local enforcement agency to charge a fee for the permit or registration or related services. This bill would authorize the local enforcement agency to reduce the fee for the permit, registration, or related service for an applicant seeking approval of a compact mobile food operation or related operations. (6) Under existing law, violation of the code is a misdemeanor, unless otherwise specified. This bill would make violations of the code by an operator or employee of a compact mobile food facility or a sidewalk vendor punishable only by an administrative fine. Additionally, by making changes to the definition of various crimes and by adding new crimes under the code, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.