Repeal of ban on bare-hand contact with food OK’d

A bill heading to the governor would repeal an unpopular ban on California chefs touching certain foods with their bare hands

AB2130 passed its final legislative hurdle Thursday with a 32-0 vote in the state Senate.

A law signed last year requires restaurant employees to use gloves or utensils to handle food going straight to diners’ plates. Food-safety experts have long recommended this measure to curb the spread of disease.

But high-end chefs and bartenders say they were caught off guard by the rule, which they call wasteful and restrictive.

Democratic Assemblyman Richard Pan of Sacramento introduced AB2130 to repeal the law he authored and eventually make it more flexible.

The bill takes effect July 1 if signed, the same day that the new regulation is set to be enforced.