Lawmakers in California are considering backing down from a new law that would ban chefs and bartenders from touching food that would be served to diners--with their bare hands.
According to the Associated Press, the Assembly Health Committee voting unanimously Tuesday to reverse the ruling that went into effect in January in order to "revisit the regulation."
Restaurant owners, chefs and bartenders opposed the ruling, claiming that the government "took [them] off guard by the new regulation." The law would require employees to wear gloves or use utensils to handle food.
The new law would help lessen the spread of foodborne illness and would encourage restaurants to "show good hygiene practices." California has joined 41 states that have adopted a bare-hand contact ban. The ban was also recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration more than 20 years ago.
Over 18,000 chefs and bartenders signed a petition against the glove ban. Many are claiming that the law is "restrictive, wasteful and undermines existing hygiene practices." Richard Pan, California's Assembly Health Committee asked officials to repeal the law.
A representative of California Restaurant Association told lawmakers the regulation is "well-intentioned," but is the content is confusing and unreliable for members about of the association. Regulators and restaurant owners say that both sides need to consider working together to spell "out specific exemptions."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a worker touching food is the fastest way for food-originated norovirus outbreaks to spread.
