The bill amends Section 21-27-10 of the General Laws in Rhode Island to require all food businesses to register annually with the state director of health, while exempting certain entities such as nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and municipalities from registration fees. A new annual fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) is introduced for food service establishments, which will be allocated to the Department of Labor and Training for hospitality industry workforce training grants, including food and alcohol safety training programs offered in multiple languages. Additionally, businesses with multiple activities at a single location will only be required to pay the highest applicable registration fee.

The bill also modifies Section 35-4-27 to stipulate that ten percent (10%) of indirect cost recoveries from restricted receipt accounts will be transferred to the general fund, with exceptions for funds from nonprofit organizations, federal grants, and specific state agency transfers. Notably, the hospitality training restricted receipt account will be exempt from these indirect cost recovery provisions. The act is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, and aims to enhance sanitation and safety standards in food establishments by ensuring that workers receive proper training.