S.T.O.P. Public Health Advocacy Protects Illinois Restaurant-Goers

On Wednesday April 28th, 2010, the Illinois House Executive Committee heard testimony in opposition to a bill (SB 3377) that would amend the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. The bill proposed a reduction in food service manager training from 15 hours to just 7. S.T.O.P.’s Public Health Specialist Susan Vaughn Grooters testified at the hearing, as well as S.T.O.P. volunteers Paula Gillett and her 11 year old son Jack, who was sickened with E. coli in 2008. In addition, four public health officials from local health departments throughout Illinois also voiced their opposition to the written bill and reducing the training hours.

After the hearing Jack was invited by Chairman Burke to participate in an official procedure and bring the Committee into recess.

Although no vote was taken after the testimony, S.T.O.P. was excited the following day to learn from a representative that SB 3377 was not going to move forward in this session. During testimony, S.T.O.P. implored the Illinois legislature to continue to be a leader in food safety issues. This is especially important since Illinois Senator Richard Durbin is a national food safety champion and his bill S. 510, The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, is a bipartisan bill that is about to be brought to the US Senate floor.