Home/Bills/AB 1470California · 2025–2026 Regular Session

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AB 1470: Food facilities: retail food safety.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified December 7, 2025

What AB 1470 does, verified December 7, 2025

This bill aims to improve food safety standards in California by revising existing laws. It would prohibit food facilities from locating grease traps or interceptors in food preparation areas, but would allow exemptions if certain structural or maintenance requirements are met. The bill also revises requirements for passthrough windows, exempting larger windows if equipped with air curtain devices or self-closing devices. Additionally, it exempts walls and ceilings in bar areas and restrooms used by employees from durability and cleanliness standards. Furthermore, it updates requirements for temporary food facilities, allowing exemptions if environmental factors are absent that could contaminate food. The bill would impose a state-mandated local program and determine reimbursement for costs mandated by the state.

Bill journey

✓IntroducedComplete

✓In CommitteeComplete

✓First Chamber FloorComplete

4Second ChamberCurrent

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2025-05-27)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Matt HaneyAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions26 total · showing 5

Aug. 29, 2025	In committee: Held under submission.
Aug. 18, 2025	In committee: Referred to suspense file.
Jul. 15, 2025	Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Jul. 15, 2025	Withdrawn from committee.
Jul. 14, 2025	Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

Full action history, 21 earlier actionsConnect Plus

Latest bill textAmended version, July 14, 2025 · 1,356 words

Amended IN Senate July 14, 2025

Amended IN Senate June 23, 2025

Amended IN Assembly May 01, 2025

Amended IN Assembly March 24, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1470

Introduced by Assembly Member Haney

February 21, 2025

An act to amend Sections 114201, 114259.2, 114271, and 114349 of the Health and Safety Code, ~~and to amend Section 30610 of, and to add Section 21080.68 to, the Public Resources Code,~~ relating to food facilities.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1470, as amended, Haney. Food facilities: retail food ~~safety: coastal development permits: exemption.~~ safety.

~~(1)Existing~~

Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities. Under existing law, local health agencies are primarily responsible for enforcing these standards. Under existing law, a person who violates any provision of the California Retail Food Code is guilty of a misdemeanor, except as otherwise provided.

Existing law prohibits a food facility from locating a grease trap or grease interceptor in a food handling area, unless approved by an enforcement agency. Existing law exempts from the prohibition a food facility with an approved grease trap or grease interceptor that was in operation before the effective date of the code.

This bill would instead prohibit a food facility from locating a grease trap or grease interceptor in a food preparation area. The bill would additionally exempt ~~an aboveground grease trap installed under a 3-compartment sink, as specified, from this prohibition.~~ a grease trap or grease interceptor from this prohibition if (1) a structural hardship can be determined preventing the grease trap or grease interceptor from being installed in an area not designated for food preparation or food storage or a utensil handling area, (2) the site can provide a cleaning or maintenance plan that indicates how and when the grease trap or grease interceptor will be accessed for service to prevent any cross contamination of food or food contact surfaces, and (3) the site can provide procedures that will be taken to properly clean and sanitize the area following servicing.

Existing law limits the size of a passthrough window service opening to 216 square inches. Existing law authorizes a passthrough window of up to 432 square inches if equipped with an air curtain device.

This bill would instead authorize a passthrough window service opening of up to 432 square inches if equipped with an air curtain device or equipped with a self-closing device. The bill would authorize a passthrough ~~window~~ service opening that is larger than 432 square inches if equipped with both a self-closing device and an air curtain device. The bill would authorize an enforcement agency to approve alternative passthrough window or other service openings if the proposed alternative can adequately maintain exclusion of vermin or other means of contamination.

Existing law requires a food facility’s walls and ceilings to be durable, smooth, nonabsorbent, and easily cleanable. Existing law exempts from this requirement walls and ceilings of bar areas in which alcoholic beverages are sold or served directly to the consumers, except wall areas adjacent to bar sinks and areas where food is prepared, among other things. Existing law also exempts from this requirement restrooms that are used exclusively by the consumers, except that the walls and ceilings in the restrooms shall be of a nonabsorbent and washable surface.

This bill would instead exempt walls and ceilings of bar areas in which beverages are sold, served, or dispensed directly to the consumers. The bill would also instead exempt restrooms that are used exclusively by ~~employees or consumers.~~ employees.

Existing law requires temporary food facilities to be equipped with overhead protection for all food preparation, food storage, and warewashing areas. Existing law requires overhead protection to be made of wood, canvas, or other materials that protect the facility from precipitation, dust, bird and insect droppings, and other contaminants. Existing law exempts from these requirements a temporary food facility that is approved for limited food preparation if flying insects, vermin, birds, and other pests are absent due to the location of the facility or other limiting conditions.

This bill would additionally exempt a temporary food facility that is approved for limited food preparation from these requirements if environmental factors that could contaminate the food are absent due to the location of the facility or other limiting conditions.

By revising the standards that must be enforced by local health agencies and by expanding the scope of existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2)The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.
This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA permanent outdoor dining structures. Because a lead agency would be required to determine if a project qualifies for this exemption, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(3)The California Coastal Act of 1976, among other things, requires anyone wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit from the California Coastal Commission or a local government, as provided. The act provides that a coastal development permit is not required for specified types of development in specified areas, as provided.
This bill would provide that a coastal development permit is not required for the development of an outdoor dining patio adjoining a restaurant, as provided. To the extent this bill would create additional duties for a local government, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
~~(4)The~~

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 114201 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

114201.

(a) If provided, a grease trap or grease interceptor shall not be located in a food preparation or utensil handling area unless specifically approved by the enforcement agency.

(b) Grease traps and grease interceptors shall be easily accessible for servicing.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section shall not apply to ~~either of the following:~~ a grease trap or grease interceptor if all of the following conditions are met:

~~(1)An aboveground grease trap installed under a three-compartment sink under the following conditions:~~

~~(A)~~
(1)
A structural hardship can be determined preventing the grease trap or grease interceptor from being installed in an area not designated for food preparation or food storage or a utensil handling area.

~~(B)~~
(2)
The site can provide a cleaning or maintenance plan that indicates how and when ~~this grease trap~~ the grease trap or grease interceptor will be accessed for service to prevent any cross contamination of food or food contact surfaces.

~~(C)~~
(3)
The site can provide procedures that will be taken to properly clean and sanitize the area following servicing.

~~(2)Any~~

(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section shall not apply to a food facility approved with a grease trap or grease interceptor that is in operation before the effective date of this part.

Text of AB 1470 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions