H-131                _______________________________________________

                                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 51

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives O'Brien, Dellwo, Lux and Locke

Read first time 1/17/85 and referred to Committee on Social & Health Services. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor 1/30/85.

AN ACT Relating to public health; adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Clean toilet facilities, in good repair, shall be provided for patrons, guests, or invitees on property used in connection with, or in, each grocery store with more than twenty thousand square feet of floor space.  There shall be at least one separate toilet facility for men and one separate toilet facility for women.  Toilet rooms shall be separated by well-fitted, self-closing doors that prevent passage of flies, dust, or odors.

          (2) Handwashing facilities, in good repair, shall be provided for patrons, guests, or invitees within or adjacent to toilet rooms and shall be equipped with hot and cold running water.  Handwashing detergent or soap and sanitary towels or hot-air blowers shall be provided at handwashing facilities in permanently installed dispensing devices.

          (3) Violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

          (4) The requirements of this section for restroom facilities which are accessible to patrons, guests, or invitees on the property may be satisfied by permitting access by those persons to the toilet and handwashing facilities which are required by other statutes or rules, including rules adopted by the state board of health under RCW 43.20.050.

          (5) "Grocery store," as used in this section, means any room, building, place, or portion thereof, maintained, used, or operated for, or in conjunction with, the retail sale of staple foodstuffs, meats, and other foods, and household supplies, by a retail grocer.  For the purposes of this section, the gas pump area of a service station which is maintained in conjunction with a grocery store shall not be considered as property used in connection with the grocery store or be considered in determining the square footage of floor space of the grocery store.

          (6) This section applies only to grocery stores as to which construction is commenced on or after July 1, 1985.