BOSTON The Massachusetts Restaurant Association said it is working with state legislators to temper a bill that would require restaurants to adopt certain safeguards for patrons who have food allergies.
The measure, already approved by the state Senate, would oblige restaurants to post kitchen placards containing information about food allergies. The bill would also require that a food-allergy component be added to ServSafe certification courses, which are already required of food handlers as a means of promoting food safety.
In addition, the legislation calls for the creation of a voluntary program by Massachusetts’ Department of Public Health to designate participating restaurants as “allergy friendly.” All restaurants in the state would be asked to encourage patrons via menu stickers to alert the staff if anyone in the party has a food allergy.
The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem, D-Newton, is currently being considered by the state House of Representatives, whose legislative session expires next month.
The bill has already been redrafted a number of times in the House to address certain components, including the addition of allergy-related questions on the ServSafe certification exam and other staff-training provisions, said Janine Harrod, director of government affairs for the MRA. The restaurant association is now “trying to work with leadership on the House side” to adjust some of the bill’s requirements, she said.