Bill > A5235

Introduced Session

This bill requires monthly health and fire safety inspections for mobile retail food establishments in this State, replacing the current onerous system that often requires multiple health and fire safety inspections in a single day. The bill includes legislative findings setting forth the need for this approach and the model upon which it is based. The "South Jersey Mobile Unit Task Force" is a program developed by the Cumberland County Department of Health's Environmental Unit in conjunction with surrounding county health departments to form a Regional Mobile Food Vendor Task Force, in which participating mobile retail food establishments ("food trucks") can move from jurisdiction to jurisdiction without having to re-apply for approvals in each jurisdiction. The findings note that in 2015, the National Association of County and City Health Officials selected the "South Jersey Mobile Unit Task Force" as a model practice demonstrating exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need. The findings also state that implementation of this model practice has resulted in a more efficient and standardized regulatory process for government agencies and food trucks, and the promotion of improved food safety practices. Under the bill, each mobile retail food establishment in the State will be inspected once a month for compliance with the State Sanitary Code and the Uniform Fire Code at the location of the mobile retail food establishment's base of operation. Inspections will be conducted in accordance with standards established by the Commissioners of Health and Community Affairs. Additional health and fire safety inspections of a mobile retail food establishment may be conducted each month, provided that the mobile retail food establishment is not subject to more than one health inspection and one fire safety inspection per week and not subject to any inspection fees for the additional inspections. The governing body of a municipality that conducts a health or fire safety inspection required pursuant to this bill may establish an inspection fee in an amount equal to the cost of conducting the inspection, or equal to any inspection fee applicable to non-mobile retail food establishments, whichever amount is lower. Any entity that conducts a health or fire safety inspection pursuant to this bill will be required to report any failed inspections to the Department of Community Affairs. The Department of Community Affairs will make such information publicly available on the department's Internet website.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Alex Sauickie (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/27/2025)

Official Document