By:  Moncrief                                         S.B. No. 1373
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to education and training programs for food service
 1-3     workers.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 438.043, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 438.043.  REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION. (a)  The Texas
 1-8     Board of Health by rule shall establish the course content required
 1-9     for accreditation of education and training programs for food
1-10     service workers under Sections 438.042(a) and (b) [department may
1-11     not accredit an education or training program unless the program
1-12     includes:]
1-13                 [(1)  four hours of training on the subject of food,
1-14     including:]
1-15                       [(A)  a description of food-borne disease and its
1-16     cause and prevention; and]
1-17                       [(B)  protection of food in location, receipt,
1-18     storage, preparation, service, and transportation;]
1-19                 [(2)  four hours of training on the subject of food
1-20     service facilities, including:]
1-21                       [(A)  waste disposal and sanitary plumbing and
1-22     water;]
1-23                       [(B)  cleaning and sanitization of dishes and
1-24     utensils;]
1-25                       [(C)  storage of equipment and utensils;]
 2-1                       [(D)  housekeeping procedures and schedules;]
 2-2                       [(E)  proper handling of nonfood supplies,
 2-3     including single service items, linens, and toxic materials; and]
 2-4                       [(F)  cleanliness of the physical plant,
 2-5     including building construction, ventilation, lighting, pest
 2-6     control, and general safety of the environment;]
 2-7                 [(3)  two hours of training on the subject of sanitary
 2-8     habits for food handlers, including:]
 2-9                       [(A)  personal hygiene, including proper dress,
2-10     handwashing, personal habits, and illness;]
2-11                       [(B)  food handling practices, including minimum
2-12     handling and proper use of food service utensils; and]
2-13                       [(C)  operational problems, including
2-14     identification and correction of commonly occurring deficiencies;
2-15     and]
2-16                 [(4)  four hours of training on the subject of
2-17     management in the food service industry, including:]
2-18                       [(A)  self-inspection promotion and techniques;]
2-19                       [(B)  motivation, including safety, the economics
2-20     of safe food handling, and planning to meet sanitation guidelines;
2-21     and]
2-22                       [(C)  personnel training, including management
2-23     responsibility, resources, and methods].
2-24           (b)  In addition to the course requirements in Subsection
2-25     (a), the department shall require students of a program to take an
2-26     examination approved by the department to assist the department in
 3-1     evaluating the program [that, to receive accreditation, a course
 3-2     include an examination of at least one hour to allow the instructor
 3-3     to evaluate the students' comprehension of the subject matter
 3-4     covered].
 3-5           [(c)  The department shall ensure that each accredited
 3-6     program may be presented in not less than 15 hours.]
 3-7           [(d)  The course requirements in Subsection (a)  do not apply
 3-8     to an education or training program for recertification.]
 3-9           [(e)  The department may modify the requirements of
3-10     Subsection (a), (b), or (c) for a course used in training employees
3-11     under the common control of a single entity.]
3-12           SECTION 2.  Subsection (b), Section 438.046, Health and
3-13     Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
3-14           (b)  A local health jurisdiction that requires training for a
3-15     food service worker shall accept as sufficient to meet the
3-16     jurisdiction's training and testing requirements a training course
3-17     that is accredited by the department and listed with the registry
3-18     unless the department has found or has reason to believe that the
3-19     provider of the course breached test security, issued counterfeit
3-20     certificates, or provided students with test answers.  [A food
3-21     service worker trained in a course for the employees of a single
3-22     entity is considered to have met a local health jurisdiction's
3-23     training and testing requirements only as to food service performed
3-24     for that entity.]
3-25           SECTION 3.  Subsection (b), Section 438.042, Health and
3-26     Safety Code, as added by Chapter 539, Acts of the 72nd Legislature,
 4-1     Regular Session, 1991, is repealed.
 4-2           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.