Food safety.

Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, prohibits the manufacture, packing, or holding of processed food unless in a food processing facility duly registered with the State Department of Public Health, upon payment of an annual registration fee. The law requires, until January 1, 2016, and in addition to the annual registration fee, every person engaged in the manufacture, packing, or holding of processed food, with specified exceptions, to pay a $100 food safety fee to be used by the department, upon appropriation, to assist in developing and implementing education and training programs related to food safety. The violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would delete the January 1, 2016, repeal date for the food safety fee, thus extending its duration indefinitely. By changing the definition of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.