6503 - Certification advisory board and programs.
§ 6503. Certification advisory board and programs. (a) Members of board.--The secretary shall appoint persons to serve as members of the Food Employee Certification Advisory Board. Representatives shall be selected to represent the following groups for a term of two, three or four years to be determined by the secretary: (1) The chairman and minority chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee of the Senate or their designees and the chairman and minority chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives or their designees. (2) A consumer representative. (3) The Secretary of Agriculture or the secretary's designee. (4) Two representatives of production agriculture. (5) Representatives, including at least one person recommended by each of the following: Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers, Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, Pennsylvania Convenience Store Council, Pennsylvania Bakers Association, Pennsylvania Food Processors Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Pennsylvania Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, Local 1776 UFCW, Pennsylvania Retailers Association, the Licensed Beverage Association, Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association, Associated Petroleum Industries, Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and Pennsylvania School Food Service Association. At least one representative shall have experience in the field of public health. (b) Chairman of board.--The secretary or the secretary's designee shall serve as the chairman of the advisory board. (c) Certification programs.--The advisory board shall review and recommend certification programs submitted by individuals or organizations to ensure adequate training of supervisory employees of food establishments. (c.1) Other duties.--For the purpose of complying with the requirements of section 6504(g)(1) (relating to certification of employees), the secretary shall convene a meeting of the advisory board no later than March 1, 2003. (d) Certification of supervisory employees.--The supervisory employees shall be certified by the department following the completion of training programs recommended by the advisory board and approved by the department. The department shall adopt food safety protection and training standards for the certification of supervisory employees who are responsible for the storage, preparation, display or serving of foods to the public in establishments regulated by the department or local health organizations. These standards shall be adopted by the department to ensure that, upon successfully passing a test, the supervisory employee has demonstrated adequate food protection knowledge. These standards shall also provide for a certification program which authorizes private or public agencies to conduct and approve tests and certify the results of these tests to the department. At least one supervisory employee of a food establishment shall have passed the test and received a certificate attesting thereto. Employees shall have a period of 90 days after employment to pass the required test. (e) Preemption.--Except as provided in subsection (f), the regulation of food safety protection and training standards for employees of food establishments is preempted by the Commonwealth. (f) Local programs.--Any food employee certification program established by a county, city, borough, incorporated town or township prior to September 1, 1994, may remain in effect. (Dec. 20, 2000, P.L.934, No.124, eff. 60 days; Dec. 9, 2002, P.L.1495, No.190, eff. imd.) 2002 Amendment. Act 190 amended subsec. (a) and added subsec. (c.1). 2000 Amendment. Act 124 amended subsec. (d). Cross References. Section 6503 is referred to in section 6504 of this title.