What's happening
This bill requires restaurants and third-party online food delivery services in New York to post their most recent sanitary inspection grade on their websites.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and consumer awareness. By requiring restaurants and third-party delivery platforms to display sanitary inspection grades online, customers can make more informed decisions about where to order food, potentially influencing their choices based on health and safety standards.
Creates accountability for both restaurants and delivery platforms. Restaurants are obligated to promptly provide their most recent inspection grades to delivery services, while those platforms face civil penalties (up to $100 per violation) if they fail to display the information, encouraging compliance throughout the online food delivery ecosystem.
Expands public health oversight to digital spaces. The bill ensures that the same sanitary information visible at physical locations is also accessible in the online ordering environment, reflecting the growing importance of digital food commerce and aligning public health practices with modern consumer habits.
Sets a precedent for municipal action beyond New York City. By including provisions for any municipality with similar local laws, the legislation enables broader adoption of online grade posting requirements, potentially paving the way for statewide or even national standards in the future.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Show Restaurant Health Grades Online
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to cities
- Reported and committed to health
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires restaurants that offer online delivery services to post their most recent sanitary inspection grade on their website
In Assembly Committee · Cities · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1206
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the general municipal law, in relation to requiring restaurants that offer online delivery services to post their most recent sanitary inspection letter grade on their website
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-195.1 to read as follows:
§ 17-195.1 Posting of sanitary inspection grade. a. Definition. "Internet-based food delivery service provider" shall mean any food service establishment as defined in section 81.03 of the health code of the city of New York that accepts food orders for delivery from customers via the internet, or any third-party website that accepts food orders for delivery from customers via the internet.
b. Every internet-based food delivery service provider shall conspicuously post on their website the most current sanitary inspection letter grade of any food service establishment, pursuant to section 81.51 of the health code of the city of New York, for which food delivery services are provided to customers. Food service establishments shall be responsible for providing internet-based food delivery service providers with the most current sanitary inspection letter grade upon receipt of such letter grade following sanitary inspection.
c. Any internet-based food delivery service provider that violates subdivision b of this section or any of the rules promulgated thereunder shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars for each violation.
§ 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 139-e to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01853-01-9
S. 1206 2
§ 139-e. Posting of sanitary inspection grade. 1. As used in this section "internet-based food delivery service provider" shall mean any food service establishment that accepts food orders for delivery from customers via the internet, or any third party website that accepts food orders for delivery from customers via the internet.
2. In any municipal corporation that has adopted a local law or rule requiring the posting of sanitary inspection results, every internetbased food delivery service provider shall conspicuously post on their website the most current sanitary inspection results of any food service establishment located in such municipal corporation for which food delivery services are provided to customers. Food service establishments shall be responsible for providing internet-based food delivery service providers with the most current sanitary inspection letter grade upon receipt of such letter grade following sanitary inspection.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the general municipal law, in relation to requiring restaurants that offer online delivery services to post their most recent sanitary inspection letter grade on their website
Purpose
This bill will allow customers who order food online to view the food service establishment's sanitary inspection grade.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends the administrative code of the city of New York by adding a new section 17195.1.
Section two amends the general municipal law by adding new section 139-e.
Section three sets forth the effective date.
Justification
A number of counties in New York State require restaurants and food service establishments to conspicuously post their most recent health department sanitary inspection grade. These inspection grades give consumers an easy way of knowing which establishments are deemed to be clean and follow rules set forth by the health department on food handl- ing, the temperature of food, personal hygiene of employees and vermin control.
Counties which require this transparency can better empower consumers by requiring that these same inspection grades are conspicuously posted on the restaurant websites and any online food delivery websites in which they participate. Consumers have a right to this information, and it should be readily available to them whether they choose to do business with the establishment in person or order online.
Legislative history
2018: S.8729C/A.8855E.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.