Pasteurized in-shell eggs: labeling.

(1) Existing law requires egg handlers to register with the Secretary of Food and Agriculture and generally sets forth standards for shell eggs. Existing law imposes specified requirements relating to packing and labeling shell eggs and makes a violation of those provisions a crime. This bill would exclude pasteurized in-shell eggs, as defined, from the labeling provisions that are generally applicable to shell eggs, and would instead impose other labeling requirements on egg handlers of pasteurized in-shell eggs, as specified. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law (the Sherman Act) , requires the State Department of Health Care Services to regulate the manufacture, sale, labeling, and advertising activities related to food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics in conformity with the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The Sherman Act also imposes various labeling requirements for food and other products, and specifies that any food is misbranded if its labeling is false or misleading, as prescribed. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would define the term "pasturized in-shell eggs" for purposes of the Sherman Act, and would specify that any food is misbranded if its labeling does not conform with specified requirements for pasteurized in-shell egg labeling, as prescribed. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. (4) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.