BILL NUMBER: AB 1965INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Yamada (Coauthor: Senator Lieu) FEBRUARY 19, 2014 An act to amend Section 114259.5 of, and to add Section 114259.6 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to outdoor dining facilities. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1965, as introduced, Yamada. Outdoor dining facilities: pet dogs. The California Retail Food Code provides for the regulation of health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities, as defined, by the State Department of Public Health. Under existing law, local health agencies are primarily responsible for enforcing this code. A violation of these provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. The code prohibits live animals from being allowed in a food facility, except under specified conditions if the contamination of food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and unwrapped single-use articles cannot result. This bill would authorize a food facility to allow a person to bring a pet dog in outdoor dining areas. The bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to prohibit that conduct by ordinance. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 114259.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 114259.5. (a) Except as specified in subdivision (b) and Section 114259.6 , live animals may not be allowed in a food facility. (b) Live animals may be allowed in any of the following situations if the contamination of food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and unwrapped single-use articles cannot result: (1) Edible fish or decorative fish in aquariums, shellfish or crustacea on ice or under refrigeration, and shellfish and crustacea in display tank systems. (2) Animals intended for consumption if the live animals are kept separate from all food and utensil handling areas, are held in sanitary conditions, are slaughtered in a separate room designed solely for that purpose and separated from other food and utensil handling areas, and maintained in an area that has ventilation separate from food and utensil handling areas. (3) Dogs under the control of a uniformed law enforcement officer or of uniformed employees of private patrol operators and operators of a private patrol service who are licensed pursuant to Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 7580) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, while those employees are acting within the course and scope of their employment as private patrol persons. (4) In areas that are not used for food preparation and that are usually open for consumers, such as dining and sales areas, service animals that are controlled by a disabled employee or person, if a health or safety hazard will not result from the presence or activities of the service animal. (5) Pets in the common dining areas of restricted food service facilities at times other than during meals if all of the following conditions are satisfied: (A) Effective partitioning and self-closing doors separate the common dining areas from food storage or food preparation areas. (B) Condiments, equipment, and utensils are stored in enclosed cabinets or removed from the common dining areas when pets are present. (C) Dining areas including tables, countertops, and similar surfaces are effectively cleaned before the next meal service. (6) In areas that are not used for food preparation, storage, sales, display, or dining, in which there are caged animals or animals that are similarly restricted, such as in a variety store that sells pets or a tourist park that displays animals. (7) If kept at least 20 feet (6 meters) away from any mobile food facility, temporary food facility, or certified farmers' market. (c) Those persons and operators described in paragraphs (3) and (4) are liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by the dog. (d) Live or dead fish bait may be stored if contamination of food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and unwrapped single-use articles cannot result. SEC. 2. Section 114259.6 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 114259.6. (a) A food facility may permit a person to bring a pet dog on to the food facility's outdoor dining areas. (b) A city, county, or city and county may by ordinance prohibit a food facility from allowing a person to bring a pet dog to the food facility's outdoor dining area.