FINAL BILL REPORT

                          ESSJM 8016

                     AS PASSED LEGISLATURE

Brief Description:  Requesting investigation and reporting on the E. Coli outbreak.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Agriculture (originally sponsored by Senators M. Rasmussen, Spanel, Haugen, Prince, Loveland, Barr, Erwin, McDonald, Roach, Bauer, Drew, Gaspard, Skratek, McAuliffe, Sheldon, Prentice, Fraser, Rinehart, Deccio, Jesernig, Winsley, Pelz, McCaslin, Sellar, von Reichbauer, Vognild, Moyer, A. Smith, West, Franklin, Wojahn, Hochstatter, Quigley, Anderson, Amondson and Oke)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

BACKGROUND:

The outbreak of E. Coli 0157:H7 infections has caused concern about the adequacy of the federal food safety inspection program as it applies to certain meat products.  In Washington State, this strain of bacteria has been designated as a reportable disease.  The State Board of Health adopted a more stringent regulation than many other states requiring food establishments to cook hamburger to 155 degrees. 

In January, the United States Department of Agriculture indicated that a prompt and full examination would be made into ways on improving the full food chain process to determine how improvements may be made to better guarantee safety of the food supply.

SUMMARY:

In addition to conducting a full examination of the causes and methods to address the E. Coli outbreak,  the Federal Food Safety Inspection Service is requested to provide a written report to the Washington State Legislature in January 1994 explaining the changes and improvements that have been accomplished to address this public health issue.

Other items that the federal task force are requested to consider include:  (a) examining the full food chain process from farm to table to determine what improvements may be made to better guarantee the safety of the food supply; (b) examining whether meat and meat products imported into this country comply with comparable inspection and health standards as does domestically processed meat; (c) involving state and local governments in the monitoring and investigation; (d) designating this strain of E. Coli as a reportable disease on a nationwide basis; and (e) initiating a review of the Food and Drug Administration's model food code.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    47   0

House     98   0    (House amended)

Senate    47   0    (Senate concurred)