The bill amends the "Milk Sanitation Code" in Rhode Island to update policies related to the production, handling, transportation, distribution, and sale of milk and milk products. It emphasizes the importance of sanitation, safety, and honest labeling of milk products. Notably, the bill inserts a provision allowing the sale of raw milk within the state, which was previously restricted to pasteurized milk unless authorized otherwise. It defines "raw milk" as unpasteurized, un-homogenized milk from a cow and requires milk plants to submit raw milk samples for testing. The results must be kept on record for at least one year and be available for inspection. The director of the department of health is granted authority to regulate these processes and may engage private laboratories for additional testing.

The bill also makes it explicit that the provisions now apply to raw milk and raw milk cheese, requiring producers to submit samples for analysis and making it unlawful to operate without a Rhode Island permit, while exempting them from permit fees. It empowers the director of health to set sanitary standards and inspection requirements, ensures milk brought into the state meets certain health standards, and mandates proper labeling of milk containers, including the option to indicate the breed of cows. The bill allows for breed-specific labeling on milk containers and clarifies that state laws and regulations on milk standards take precedence over local ordinances. The bill is set to take effect upon passage.