H-1098.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1579

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Representatives L. Thomas, Morris, Backlund, Dyer, McMorris, Huff, Hymes, Ballasiotes, Thompson, Pelesky, Mulliken, Patterson and Kessler

Read first time 01/31/95.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Requiring hepatitis A tests for food and beverage service workers' permits.

    AN ACT Relating to tests required for food and beverage establishment workers' permits; adding a new section to chapter 69.06 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that there is increasing public concern regarding the spread of certain diseases, and that there are possible health risks to the public from persons with these diseases working in the food and beverage industry.  Therefore the legislature intends to maintain public confidence in the safety of restaurants and other establishments that serve food on a regular basis by requiring testing of food handlers for hepatitis A.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 69.06 RCW to read as follows:

    To receive a permit provided under RCW 69.06.010, an applicant for a new permit or renewal of an existing permit must provide proof that the applicant has been tested for, within the previous three months, and shows no evidence of having hepatitis A.

    This section does not apply to the operator or person in charge of a temporary food service establishment, as defined in RCW 69.06.045.

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