South Carolina General Assembly
119th Session, 2011-2012

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H. 4503

STATUS INFORMATION

Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Butler Garrick and Johnson
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\19355ab12.docx

Introduced in the House on January 10, 2012
Currently residing in the House Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs

Summary: Sanitary Restaurant Play Area Study Committee

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12/6/2011  House   Prefiled
   12/6/2011  House   Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and 
                        Municipal Affairs
   1/10/2012  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 63)
   1/10/2012  House   Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and 
                        Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 63)

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/6/2011

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A JOINT RESOLUTION

TO CREATE THE SOUTH CAROLINA SANITARY RESTAURANT PLAY AREA STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY PLAY AREAS SITUATED IN RESTAURANTS IN THIS STATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE RELATED TO REGULATION OF THE CLEANLINESS OF THESE PLAY AREAS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP AND METHOD OF APPOINTMENT FOR THE COMMITTEE, PROVIDE FOR THE DUTIES OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE, PROVIDE FOR THE STAFFING OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE, AND TO DISSOLVE THE STUDY COMMITTEE AFTER A REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS IS PROVIDED TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR.

Whereas, recreation and nutrition are of great fundamental importance to the health and development of the children of South Carolina; and

Whereas, the General Assembly commends public eating establishments that provide recreational areas to children along with nutritious menu options as a means of encouraging good recreational and nutritional habits among children; and

Whereas, just as ensuring sanitation in the preparation and service of food is essential to providing safe and nutritious food for children, it is likewise greatly important to ensure sanitation in recreational areas offered by restaurants because as children move between dining and recreation areas, they might bring unsanitary elements from a recreation area to a dining area, thereby potentially jeopardizing the cleanliness of food being consumed by children and other patrons of the dining establishment. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    (A)    A South Carolina Sanitary Restaurant Play Area Study Committee is created to study the restaurant play areas in the State and to recommend legislation, if appropriate, related to the regulation of the cleanliness of these play areas.

(B)    The study committee must be composed of the following members:

(1)    the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, or his designee, who shall serve as the chairperson of the study committee;

(2)    one member of the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children (JCLCC), chosen by the Chairperson of the JCLCC;

(3)    the President of the South Carolina Hospitality Association or his designee;

(4)    one member representing the South Carolina Recreation and Parks Association (SCRPA), chosen by the chairperson upon the recommendation of the SCRPA;

(5)    three members of the general public appointed by the Governor.

(C)    The study committee must review all information it considers relevant related to restaurant play areas, any current statutes or regulations governing restaurant play areas, and any deficiencies related to the standards or regulations relating to the cleanliness and sanitation of restaurant play areas. The study committee must develop and recommend statewide minimum requirements it considers necessary for the cleanliness and sanitation of restaurant play areas and recommend a mechanism for the enforcement of the requirements by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The study committee must complete and render a written public report detailing its findings and recommendations, to include any recommended legislation, to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 31, 2013, at which time the study committee must be dissolved.

(D)    The staffing for the committee must be provided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

(E)    Members of the study committee shall serve without compensation.

(F)    Except as otherwise provided, the study committee may organize and collect information in the manner it deems to be best suited to accomplish its objectives.

SECTION    2.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 11, 2012 at 12:08 PM