AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SANITATION IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS (Establishes a restricted receipt account at the DLT for hospitality industry workforce training grants, funded by an annual $50 dollar fee to be charged by RIDOH to food service establishments.)

S2626

2026 -- S 2626
========
LC003790
========

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SANITATION IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

Introduced By:
Senators Gallo, Tikoian, Ciccone, DiPalma, Burke, and LaMountain

Date Introduced:
February 13, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Labor & Gaming
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 21-27-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 21-27 entitled "Sanitation
2
in Food Establishments" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3

21-27-10. Registration of food businesses.
4
(a) No person shall operate a food business as defined in § 21-27-1 unless he or she
5
annually registers the business with the state director of health; provided, that food businesses
6
conducted by nonprofit organizations, hospitals, public institutions, farmers markets, roadside farm
7
stands, or any municipality shall be exempt from payment of any required fee. Additionally, no
8
license fee shall be required for an establishment that:
9
(1) Holds a Class C liquor license pursuant to § 3-7-8; and
10
(2) Complies with the license limits set forth in § 3-7-8(b).
11
(b) In order to set the registration renewal dates so that all activities for each establishment
12
can be combined on one registration instead of on several registrations, the registration renewal
13
date shall be set by the department of health. The registration period shall be for twelve (12) months
14
commencing on the registration renewal date. Any renewal registration fee shall be at the full,
15
annual rate regardless of the date of renewal. Any fee for a first-time application shall have the
16
registration fee pro-rated based upon the date of issuance of registration. If the registration renewal
17
date is changed, the department may make an adjustment to the fees of registered establishments,
18
not to exceed the annual registration fee, in order to implement the changes in registration renewal
19
date. Registrations issued under this chapter may be suspended or revoked for cause. Any

1
registration or license shall be posted in a place accessible and prominently visible to an agent of
2
the director.
3
(c) Registration with the director of health shall be based upon satisfactory compliance
4
with all laws and regulations of the director applicable to the food business for which registration
5
is required.
6
(d) The director of health is authorized to adopt regulations necessary for the
7
implementation of this chapter.
8
(e) Classification for registration shall be as follows:
9
(1) In-state and out-of-state food processors that sell food in Rhode Island (Wholesale)
10
(2) Food processors (Retail)
11
(3) Food service establishments:
12
(i) 50 seats or less
13
(ii) More than 50 seats
14
(iii) Mobile food service units
15
(iv) Industrial caterer or food vending machine commissary
16
(v) Cultural heritage educational facility
17
(4) Vending machine sites or location:
18
(i) Three (3) or less machines
19
(ii) Four (4) to ten (10) machines
20
(iii) Eleven (11) or more machines
21
(5) Retail markets:
22
(i) 1 to 2 cash registers
23
(ii) 3 to 5 cash registers
24
(iii) 6 or more cash registers
25
(6) Retail food peddler (meat, seafood, dairy, and frozen dessert products)
26
(7) Food warehouses
27
(f) In no instance, where an individual food business has more than one activity eligible
28
under this chapter for state registration within a single location, shall the business be required to
29
pay more than a single fee for the one highest classified activity listed in subsection (e) of this
30
section; provided, that, where several separate but identically classified activities are located within
31
the same building and under the management and jurisdiction of one person, one fee shall be
32
required. In each of the instances in this subsection, each activity shall be separately registered.
33
(g) Fees for registration of the above classifications shall be as set forth in § 23-1-54.
34

(h) The department shall also annually charge food service establishments, an additional

LC003790 - Page 2 of 7
1
fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) per year, which shall be transferred to the department of labor and
2
training and shall be deposited into the hospitality training restricted receipt account, which shall
3
be exempt from the indirect cost recovery provisions of § 35-4-27. Subject to appropriation by the
4
general assembly, these funds shall be used to provide hospitality industry workforce training
5
grants including, but not limited to, certified food and alcohol safety training programs offered in
6
multiple languages.
7
SECTION 2. Section 35-4-27 of the General Laws in Chapter 35-4 entitled "State Funds"
8
is hereby amended to read as follows:
9

35-4-27. Indirect cost recoveries on restricted receipt accounts.
10
Indirect cost recoveries of fifteen percent (15%) of cash receipts shall be transferred from
11
all restricted receipt accounts, to be recorded as general revenues in the general fund. However,
12
there shall be no transfer from cash receipts with restrictions received exclusively: (1) From
13
contributions from nonprofit charitable organizations; (2) From the assessment of indirect cost-
14
recovery rates on federal grant funds; or (3) Through transfers from state agencies to the department
15
of administration for the payment of debt service. These indirect cost recoveries shall be applied to
16
all accounts, unless prohibited by federal law or regulation, court order, or court settlement. The
17
following restricted receipt accounts shall not be subject to the provisions of this section:
18
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
19
HIV Care Grant Drug Rebates
20
Health System Transformation Project
21
Rhode Island Statewide Opioid Abatement Account
22
HCBS Support-ARPA
23
HCBS Admin Support-ARPA
24
Department of Human Services
25
Organ Transplant Fund
26
Veterans’ home — Restricted account
27
Veterans’ home — Resident benefits
28
Pharmaceutical Rebates Account
29
Demand Side Management Grants
30
Veteran’s Cemetery Memorial Fund
31
Donations — New Veterans’ Home Construction
32
Commodity Supplemental Food Program-Claims
33
Department of Health
34
Pandemic medications and equipment account

LC003790 - Page 3 of 7
1
Miscellaneous Donations/Grants from Non-Profits
2
State Loan Repayment Match
3
Healthcare Information Technology
4
Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals
5
Eleanor Slater non-Medicaid third-party payor account
6
Hospital Medicare Part D Receipts
7
RICLAS Group Home Operations
8
Group Home Facility Improvement Fund
9
Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
10
Emergency and public communication access account
11
Department of Environmental Management
12
National heritage revolving fund
13
Environmental response fund II
14
Underground storage tanks registration fees
15
De Coppet Estate Fund
16
Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
17
Historic preservation revolving loan fund
18
Historic Preservation loan fund — Interest revenue
19
Department of Public Safety
20
E-911 Uniform Emergency Telephone System
21
Forfeited property — Retained
22
Forfeitures — Federal
23
Forfeited property — Gambling
24
Donation — Polygraph and Law Enforcement Training
25
Rhode Island State Firefighter’s League Training Account
26
Fire Academy Training Fees Account
27
Attorney General
28
Forfeiture of property
29
Federal forfeitures
30
Attorney General multi-state account
31
Forfeited property — Gambling
32
Department of Administration
33
Health Insurance Market Integrity Fund
34
RI Health Benefits Exchange

LC003790 - Page 4 of 7
1
Information Technology restricted receipt account
2
Restore and replacement — Insurance coverage
3
Convention Center Authority rental payments
4
Investment Receipts — TANS
5
OPEB System Restricted Receipt Account
6
Grants Management Administration
7
Office of Energy Resources
8
OER Reconciliation Funding
9
RGGI Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council Projects
10
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Operating and Maintenance Account
11
Clean Transportation Programs
12
Department of Housing
13
Housing Resources and Homelessness Restricted Receipt Account
14
Housing Production Fund
15
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Fund
16
Department of Revenue
17
Car Rental Tax/Surcharge-Warwick Share
18
DMV Modernization Project
19
Jobs Tax Credit Redemption Fund
20
Legislature
21
Audit of federal assisted programs
22
Department of Children, Youth and Families
23
Children’s Trust Accounts — SSI
24
Military Staff
25
RI Military Family Relief Fund
26
RI National Guard Counterdrug Program
27
Treasury
28
Admin. Expenses — State Retirement System
29
Retirement — Treasury Investment Options
30
Defined Contribution — Administration - RR
31
Violent Crimes Compensation — Refunds
32
Treasury Research Fellowship
33
Business Regulation
34
Banking Division Reimbursement Account

LC003790 - Page 5 of 7
1
Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner Reimbursement Account
2
Securities Division Reimbursement Account
3
Commercial Licensing and Racing and Athletics Division Reimbursement Account
4
Insurance Division Reimbursement Account
5
Historic Preservation Tax Credit Account
6
Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission
7
Marijuana Trust Fund
8
Social Equity Assistance Fund
9
Judiciary
10
Arbitration Fund Restricted Receipt Account
11
Third-Party Grants
12
RI Judiciary Technology Surcharge Account
13
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
14
Statewide Student Transportation Services Account
15
School for the Deaf Fee-for-Service Account
16
School for the Deaf — School Breakfast and Lunch Program
17
Davies Career and Technical School Local Education Aid Account
18
Davies — National School Breakfast & Lunch Program
19
School Construction Services
20
Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
21
Tuition Savings Program Fund
22
Higher Education and Industry Center
23
IGT STEM Scholarships
24
Department of Labor and Training
25
Job Development Fund
26
Contractor Training Restricted Receipt Account
27

Hospitality Training Restricted Receipt Account
28
Workers’ Compensation Administrative Account
29
Rhode Island Council on the Arts
30
Governors’ Portrait Donation Fund
31
Statewide records management system account
32
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027
========
LC003790
========

LC003790 - Page 6 of 7
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SANITATION IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
***
1
This act would establish a restricted receipt account at the department of labor and training
2
(“DLT”) to be used for hospitality industry workforce training grants, including certified food and
3
alcohol safety training programs to be offered in multiple languages, funded by an annual fee of
4
fifty ($50.00) dollars to be charged by the department of health (“DOH”) to food service
5
establishments.
6
This act would take effect on January 1, 2027
========
LC003790
========

LC003790 - Page 7 of 7