The bill amends the Code of Alabama 1975 to enhance country of origin labeling requirements for seafood products. It empowers the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries to conduct tests to ensure compliance and revises notification methods for food service establishments, specifying font and size requirements for labels. The bill mandates that establishments clearly differentiate between farm-raised and wild fish, providing guidelines for the display of this information. Additionally, it introduces enforcement measures, including regular inspections by the State Health Officer and the ability to investigate verified complaints of noncompliance.

New penalties are established for violations, with a graduated scale starting from a written warning for the first offense to fines of $250 for a third offense, $500 for a fourth, and $1,000 for a fifth and subsequent offenses. However, establishments that can prove they unknowingly violated regulations based on supplier attestations will not face penalties. The bill also requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to publish the names of violating establishments quarterly and reduces their scores or grades by five points for the duration of the violation. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 22-20A-3, 22-20A-5, 22-20A-7, 22-20A-8
Engrossed: 22-20A-3, 22-20A-5, 22-20A-7, 22-20A-8