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1995 SESSION

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 699 Requesting the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Department of Health to strongly consider developing a comprehensive, uniform approach to food safety and inspection programs.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 23, 1995 Agreed to by the Senate, February 22, 1995

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) conducts retail food store inspections in all of Virginia's localities; and

WHEREAS, in 14 localities, ordinances also require local health departments to conduct retail food store inspections; and

WHEREAS, while these two food safety and inspection programs are similar, they may be subject to different federal standards as required by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration or the United States Department of Health; and

WHEREAS, retail food stores that sell prepared food are subject to varying levels of Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and VDACS inspections, depending upon (i) whether seating is provided for on-premises consumption of such food, and (ii) whether local ordinances require local health department inspections; and

WHEREAS, VDACS, VDH and local food safety inspection programs may impose duplicative or inconsistent requirements that may be unduly burdensome on Virginia's food establishments; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That VDACS and VDH be requested to strongly consider developing a comprehensive, uniform approach to food safety and inspection programs for the Commonwealth in conjunction with localities with a population of 100,000 or more and in any city surrounded by or adjacent to such county of 100,000 or more, or any town contained within such county with food safety and inspection authority; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That in formulating this approach, VDACS and VDH be requested to consult with all interested parties including, but not limited to, the Virginia Food Dealers Association, Virginia Hospitality and Travel Industry Association, Virginia Retail Merchants Association, Virginia Agribusiness Council, Virginia Association of Counties, Virginia Municipal League and such appropriate localities.