Revision: Jan. 24, 2011, midnight
HB 234-FN-A – AS INTRODUCED
2011 SESSION
01/10
HOUSE BILL 234-FN-A
AN ACT relative to food service licensure.
SPONSORS: Rep. DiPentima, Rock 16; Rep. Millham, Belk 5
COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs
This bill clarifies the food protection law and establishes the food protection fund. The moneys are to be used for the administration of the food protection law.
This bill is a request of the department of health and human services.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11-0561
01/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to food service licensure.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Shellfish; Food Protection Fund. Amend RSA 143:22-a to read as follows:
143:22-a Shellfish Certificate Fees. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall prescribe and collect fees for certificates for establishments which process or pack shellfish. Such fees shall be in accordance with rules adopted under RSA 541-A. All fees collected under this subdivision shall be forwarded to the [state treasurer to be deposited in the general fund] food protection fund established in RSA 143-A:14 and shall be used for the administration of the department’s responsibilities under this chapter.
2 Foods Prepared in an Out-of-State Residential, Non-Commercial Kitchen; Food Protection Fund. Amend RSA 143:29 to read as follows:
143:29 Registration by Nonresident Vendors. No food produced in an out-of-state residential, non-commercial kitchen shall be sold or offered for sale within the state unless the same has first been registered by its manufacturer or by the manufacturer’s agent with the department of health and human services. Such registration shall be in form similar to that provided in RSA 143:11. A one-time registration fee of $25 shall be paid to the department of health and human services by the manufacturer, importer, agent, or vendor. Fees generated under this subdivision shall be deposited in the food protection fund established in RSA 143-A:14 and shall be used for the administration of the department’s responsibilities under this chapter.
3 Food Service Licensure; Definitions. Amend RSA 143-A:3, IV to read as follows:
IV. “Food service establishment” means any fixed or mobile, attended or unattended restaurant; coffee shop; cafeteria; short order cafe; luncheonette; grill; tearoom; sandwich shop; soda fountain; tavern; bar; cocktail lounge; nightclub; roadside stand; industrial feeding establishment; food processing plants; food vending operation; private or public organization or institution, whether profit or nonprofit, which routinely serves food; catering kitchen; commissary, or similar place in which food or drink is prepared for sale or for service on the premises or elsewhere; and any other eating and drinking establishment or operation in which potentially hazardous food is served or provided for the public with or without charge.
4 New Paragraph; Food Service Licensure; Definition Added. Amend RSA 143-A:3 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
IV-a. “Imminent health hazard” means a significant threat or danger to health that is considered to exist when there is evidence sufficient to show that a product, practice, circumstance, or event creates a situation that requires immediate correction or cessation of operation to prevent injury or illness.
5 Food Services Licensure; Application. Amend RSA 143-A:6, I to read as follows:
I. Upon receipt of an application in writing from a new food service establishment or retail food store, or a food service establishment or retail food store which has changed ownership, or a food service establishment or retail food store which has had its previous license revoked, the commissioner may issue a provisional license, valid for up to 90 days, if the commissioner determines that the applicant’s plan for operation and facilities are sufficient under rules adopted under RSA 143-A:9. Any food service establishment or retail food store which has had its license revoked shall not be eligible to apply for a provisional license until it (a) presents a plan for the correction of any deficiencies which led to the specific revocation, and (b) passes a food safety class, subsequent to the revocation of the license, meeting the standards of The Conference for Food Protection. In order to fulfill the requirements of this section, the new [remedial] correction action plan shall first receive the approval of the commissioner. Notwithstanding RSA 541-A, any individual denied a full license at the end of the 90-day period shall immediately shut down his or her establishment, unless otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
6 Food Service Licensure; Revocation of License. Amend RSA 143-A:7 to read as follows:
143-A:7 Revocation of License.
I. If any food service establishment or retail food store licensed under this chapter repeatedly violates any legally adopted rule of the commissioner, or any provision of RSA 143 or RSA 143-A, or if the operation of the licensed establishment [immediately endangers public health and safety] creates an imminent health hazard, the commissioner may revoke the license. Any revocation of a license shall be executed in compliance with RSA 541-A.
II. The notice of revocation shall:
(a) Be in writing;
(b) Enumerate the reason or reasons for revocation;
(c) Outline the [remedial] corrective action necessary to correct the revocation; and
(d) Inform the owner or his agent of his rights and options for redress of grievances as enumerated in RSA 541-A.
7 Food Protection Program; Failure to Pay Application Fee. Amend RSA 143-A:9-a, II to read as follows:
II. All fees collected under this chapter shall be forwarded to the [state treasurer to be deposited in the general fund] food protection fund established in RSA 143-A:14 and shall be used for the administration of the department’s responsibilities under this chapter.
8 New Section; Food Protection Fund. Amend RSA 143-A by inserting after section 13 the following new section:
143-A:14 Food Protection Fund. There is hereby established in the office of the state treasurer a fund to be known as the food protection fund. The fund shall be composed of fees collected in accordance with RSA 143:22-a, II, RSA 143:29, and RSA 143-A:9-a, II. Moneys in the fund shall be used solely to carry out the provisions of this chapter and RSA 143. The fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the commissioner.
9 New Subparagraph; Fund Added. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (304) the following new subparagraph:
(305) Moneys deposited into the food protection fund established in RSA 143-A:14.
10 Repeal. RSA 143-A:8, relative to reinstatement of license, is repealed.
11 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.
LBAO
11-0561
01/19/11
HB 234-FN-A - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to food service licensure.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to complete a fiscal note for this bill as it is awaiting information from the Department of Health and Human Services. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the House Clerk's Office.