CaliforniaMajor food allergens.
What it does
Existing law, the California Retail Food 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 those provisions. Existing law makes a person who violates a provision of the code guilty of a misdemeanor.
More detail
Existing law requires the person in charge of a food facility to have adequate knowledge of major food allergens, as defined, foods identified as major food allergens, and the symptoms that a major food allergen could cause in a sensitive individual who has an allergic reaction and to educate food facility employees regarding those matters. Existing law requires a food handler to obtain a food handler card from a specified training provider after completing a food handler training course and examination that covers, among other things, major food allergens and symptoms of allergic reactions.
This bill would add sesame to the list of major food allergens.
Existing law, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, requires certain restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name and offering for sale substantially the same menu items to disclose nutrient content information, as specified.
This bill, commencing July 1, 2026, would require a food facility that is subject to the federal disclosure provisions for nutrient content information to provide written notification of the major food allergens that the food facility knows or reasonably should know are contained as an ingredient in each menu item, either directly on its menu or in a digital format, as specified. The bill would specify that its provisions requiring a food facility to provide the above-described notifications do not apply to compact mobile food operations or nonpermanent food facilities.
By expanding the scope of existing crimes and by imposing new duties on local health officials, 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 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.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 13Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 741, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 13Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 16Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 9Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2709.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB68 Menjivar Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 8In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 68 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Elhawary. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 8Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 66. Noes 1. Page 2982.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Sep 4Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 4Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 21Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 20From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (August 20).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Jul 10Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 9From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 1.) (July 8).Major
- Jul 8
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jul 1July 1 hearing postponed by committee.
- Jun 5Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- May 28In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 28Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 32. Noes 0. Page 1281.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 23From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1190.) (May 23).Major
- May 16Set for hearing May 23.
- Apr 28April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 17Set for hearing April 28.
- Apr 10From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 736.) (April 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 9
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 26Set for hearing April 9.
- Jan 29Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Jan 14From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 13.
- Jan 13Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced