SB1588 Summary

• Beginning July 1, 2014, individuals seeking a food service sanitation manager or instructor certificate must complete a minimum of 8 hours of Department-approved training, inclusive of examination, and score at least 75% on the exam.

• The Department shall accept only training and exams accredited under standards developed by the Conference for Food Protection or its successor for certification and recertification purposes.

• The Department shall award Illinois certificates to holders of valid out-of-state certificates who passed an accredited exam, with reciprocity limited to individuals who moved to or began working in Illinois within the prior 6 months and can only be used once.

• All food handlers (except those holding a food service sanitation manager certificate) must receive training in basic safe food handling principles within 30 days of employment, covering topics including time/temperature relationships, personal hygiene, contamination prevention, equipment sanitizing, and temperature control.

• Food handler training is an exclusive state function with local programs prohibited; training modules must be Department-approved with automatic approval after 90 days, and at least one commercially available module must cost no more than $15 per employee; provisions apply beginning July 1, 2016, with education-only enforcement through December 31, 2016.