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The Texas Legislature is currently considering several bills which could impact restaurants throughout the state.
HB 251 authorizes the Texas Board of Health and county and public health districts to require retail food establishments to employ at least one food manager certified by the board. Currently, only restaurants in home-rule municipalities may be required to have an employee on staff with food manager certification. Restaurants outside of these municipalities are not mandated to meet this requirement. Obtaining a food manager certification involves passing an examination on basic food safety. This bill would allow local health departments to adopt the requirement in cities as well as in counties.
Supporters of the bill say that the biggest risk to the livelihood of a restaurant is an outbreak of a food-borne illness. Such an incident can close a restaurant and diminish sales at restaurants throughout the area. Requiring a certified food manger would decrease the chances of this occurring.
Opponents say that counties could choose not to require certified food managers at all, or they could pick and choose which types of establishments must have one on staff. If improving safety is the goal, the state should require all restaurants and food establishments in all counties to have certified food managers.
HB 143 would require that a food service establishment post the establishment's latest health inspection report in a conspicuous place. Providing this information to customers is intended to inform customers of the current health status of the restaurant.
Supporters say that customers are entitled to know what health violations have recently occurred in a restaurant they are about to eat in. Further, supporters argue, these reports are already public record.
Opponents say that a health department inspection sheet is not intended as a guidepost to the general consumer regarding the quality of the restaurant's food. They contend that if an eating establishment poses a health risk to consumers, it is immediately closed.
I would be interested in hearing your comments on these bills. Please write to my Austin office at P.O. Box 2910, Austin, Texas, 78768.
State Representative Ron Clark
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
(903) 893-9426 * (512) 463-0474
(512) 475-3767 (fax)
ron.clark@house.state.tx.us
http://www.grayson.edu/district62/RonClark.html
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