HB 671 — An Act amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in food protection, further providing for definitions, for license required and for powers of department.

Bill Text

• Printer's No. 0684 View text Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends definitions and licensing provisions for retail food facilities in Pennsylvania, particularly clarifying definitions and adding exemptions for certain types of facilities.

• 3 Pa.C.S. § 5702

  have the same meaning as defined in the 2009 → be synonymous with the term "Time/temperature control for safety food" as defined in the 2017 edition of the Food Code published by the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, or any successor document approved by regulation of the department.

  This change updates the definition of 'potentially hazardous food' to align with more current standards.

• 3 Pa.C.S. § 5703(b)

  including the criminal and civil penalties for violations of this act authorized in section 5714 (relating to penalties). → including the criminal and civil penalties for violations of this act authorized in section 5714.

  This removes the redundant phrase that otherwise complicates the text regarding exemptions.

• 3 Pa.C.S. § 5703(b)(2)

  A licensor shall exempt the following retail food facilities from the license requirements of this section: (i) A retail food facility in which only prepackaged, nonpotentially hazardous food or beverages are sold. (ii) A retail food facility that sells only raw agricultural commodities. (iii) A retail food facility that is in compliance with the act of July 20, 1974 (P.L.537, No.184), referred to as the Honey Sale and Labeling Act, sells only products regulated by that act and in which 100% of the regulated products offered for human consumption are produced or processed on the farm on which the retail food facility is located.

  This addition clarifies further exemptions for retail food facilities from licensing requirements.

• 3 Pa.C.S. § 5703(c)

  license shall be issued by the licensor having jurisdiction. → license shall specify the date of expiration, the period for which the license is valid, the name of the licensee and the place licensed. Licenses shall be conspicuously displayed at all times in the place thereby licensed or, with regard to a mobile retail food facility, at any location where the mobile retail food facility is in operation.

  This change makes it clear that licensing information must be specified and displayed for both stationary and mobile food facilities.

• 3 Pa.C.S. § 5703(g)

  the day after the original license anniversary date at intervals of one year, or for any other license period that is established by the department through regulation and that uses risk-based factors identified in the current edition of the Food Code, published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, as a basis for determining the appropriate license interval. → licenses shall expire on the day after the original license anniversary date at intervals of one year, or for any other license period that is established by the department through regulation.

  This change simplifies the expiration criteria for licenses.

• 3 Pa.C.S. § 5703(j.1)

  An entity, except for a health authority for a city of the first class, shall not charge a fee for conducting an inspection of a mobile retail food facility unless the inspecting entity is also the licensor with respect to that mobile retail food facility.

  This addition outlines specific fee exceptions for mobile retail food inspection services.

Action History

1. June 19, 2019

   Laid on the table

2. June 19, 2019

   Removed from table

3. May 07, 2019

   Laid on the table

4. May 07, 2019

   First consideration

5. May 07, 2019

   Reported as committed

6. March 01, 2019

   PN 0684 Referred to AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Sponsors

• Doyle Heffley · Primary
• Millard · Cosponsor
• Tina Pickett · Cosponsor
• Eddie Day Pashinski · Cosponsor
• Ed Neilson · Cosponsor
• Perry S. Warren · Cosponsor
• Russ Diamond · Cosponsor
• Toohil · Cosponsor
• Mark M. Gillen · Cosponsor

Subjects