Relates to the issuance and expiration of food processing establishment licenses

2 Co-sponsors

• Mark Grisanti
• Kathleen A. Marchione

BILL NUMBER:S4302A

Title of bill

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the issuance and expiration of food processing establishment licenses

Purpose of the bill: The bill would amend Agriculture and Markets Law (AML) AML § 251-z to streamline the license process for chain store food processors.

Summary of Provisions:

Section 1 of the bill would add a new subdivision to AML § 251-z-2 to define the term "chain store."

Section 2 of the bill would amend AML § 251-z-3 to provide a process by which all stores within a chain of licensed food processing establishments could re-apply for licenses on the same date, with the fee for such licenses pro-rated, depending upon the length of time between license issuance and expiration.

Section 3 of the bill would make the bill effective immediately.

Existing Law: AML § 251-z-3 provides that a food processing license is for a two-year period, measured from the date the license was issued. AML § 251-z-3 also provides for a license fee of $400 or $900 for food processing establishments determined to require more intensive regulatory oversight.

Legislative History: This is a new proposal.

Statement in Support: Currently, each store that is part of a chain of food processing establishments (i.e., supermarket chains) must apply for a food processing license individually every two years upon the expiration of its license. This bill would create a process by which a chain of stores could file a relicensing application for all establishments connected to the chain simultaneously.

Under such process, the $400 license fee for each store that is part of a chain would be pro-rated over six-month periods. Thus, a chain store operator, when filing a single application for ail of its stores, would pay a license fee of $100 for each affiliated store with a license set to expire within six months, a license fee of $200 for each affiliated store with a license set to expire within one year, and a $300 license fee for each affiliated store with a license set to expire within eighteen months. The bill would thus simplify the application and renewal process for chain store operators, saving time and money, while also making the relicensing process easier for Department of Agriculture and Markets to administer.

Budget Implications: None.

Local Impact: None.

Effective Date: Effective immediately.