AMENDED IN SENIOR SENATE OCTOBER 28, 2009

SENIOR ASSEMBLY FEDERAL PROPOSAL NO. 6

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER LUCERO

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AFP 6: FOOD SAFETY.

EXISTING LAW REQUIRES CERTAIN FOODS SOLD IN CALIFORNIA, SUCH AS RAW SHUCKED SHELLFISH, TO BE PACKAGED WITH A LABEL CONTAINING A “SELL BY” DATE OR “BEST IF USED BY” DATE, AS SPECIFIED.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PACKAGED FOOD SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES 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.

AFP 6: RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY

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 THE LIMITED FUNDS THAT 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 HE OR SHE INADVERTENTLY CONSUMES 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, THE FDA STILL HOLDS ADULTS HOSTAGE BY NOT REQUIRING FOOD PACKING AND DISTRIBUTION CORPORATIONS TO PRINT ON EACH FOOD PACKAGE AN ACCURATE, BEST BEFORE DATE THAT IS READABLE BY ALL, INCLUDING THE CHECKOUT SCANNERS, SO THAT ALL SENIORS MAY PURCHASE SAFE FOOD AND STRETCH THEIR LIMITED INCOMES; AND

WHEREAS, THE BEST BEFORE DATE IS A NATURAL, EXCEPT FOR THE UNBRIDLED GREEN OF THE LOBBYISTS WHO USE THEIR POWER TO PUSH THESE PROPOSALS TO THE WAYSIDE; 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 SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2009 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT PACKAGED FOOD SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES 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 CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 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 PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON AGING, AND TO EACH SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

RN 09 16455

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