SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO.17

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER LUCERO

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AP 17: FOOD SAFETY

UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES IS CHARGED WITH SPECIFIC DUTIES AND POWERS RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH, INCLUDING ADMINISTERING PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PACKAGED FOOD SOLD IN CALIFORNIA TO INCLUDE ON THE PACKAGE, IN AN OBVIOUS LOCATION, A MARKING THAT WOULD MAKE THE CUSTOMER AWARE OF THE DATE AFTER WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED.

VOTE: MAJORITY

WHEREAS, SENIOR CITIZENS AND NEEDY FAMILIES OFTEN HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE FOOD BECAUSE OF THEIR LIMITED INCOMES; AND

WHEREAS, MANY SENIOR CITIZENS AND NEEDY FAMILIES DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL COVERAGE AND IF THEY BECOME ILL BECAUSE THEY INGEST A CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCT THEY WILL BE FORCED TO SPEND WHAT LIMITED FUNDS THEY HAVE ON EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE; AND

WHEREAS, A MARKING THAT WOULD MAKE THE CUSTOMER AWARE OF THE DATE AFTER WHICH THE CONTENTS OF A FOOD PACKAGE SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED WOULD LIKELY PREVENT THE INADVERTENT INGESTION OF CONTAMINATED FOOD; AND

WHEREAS, A SENIOR CITIZEN, BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS OF AGING, MAY HAVE A MORE ADVERSE REACTION TO THE INGESTION OF A CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCT AND THEREFORE EXPERIENCE A GREATER NEED FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION IF THEY INADVERTENTLY CONSUME CONTAMINATED FOOD; AND

WHEREAS, BUTCHERED MEAT PRODUCTS ARE USUALLY MARKED WITH A DATE BEFORE WHICH THE MEAT SHOULD BE COOKED AND CONSUMED, OR SHOULD BE FROZEN; AND

WHEREAS, MANY SENIOR CITIZENS WITH LIMITED INCOMES PURCHASE FOOD ON SALE IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY, MAKING THEM MORE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER FOOD PRODUCTS THAT ARE APPROACHING THE DATE AFTER WHICH THEY SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED. IF THESE PRODUCTS ARE THEN STORED AT HOME FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, SENIORS ARE PLACED IN EVEN GREATER JEOPARDY IF THE CONTAINER DOES NOT HAVE A MARKING THAT WOULD MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE DATE AFTER WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2006 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT PACKAGED FOOD SOLD IN CALIFORNIA BE REQUIRED TO INCLUDE ON THE PACKAGE, IN AN OBVIOUS LOCATION, A MARKING THAT WOULD MAKE THE CUSTOMER AWARE OF THE DATE AFTER WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN20061901606

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