Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility House passes Davidson’s H.B. 2033

House passes Davidson’s H.B. 2033

Legislation would establish independent food-safety oversight in correctional facilities

Rep. Nate Davidson    October 6, 2026 | 4:32 PM

HARRISBURG, Oct. 6 – Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted 107-96 to pass H.B. 2033, landmark legislation aimed at overhauling health, sanitation and food-safety standards across all state and county correctional facilities.

Introduced to close long-standing regulatory gaps, H.B. 2033 places kitchen and food service oversight under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Currently, state correctional institutions rely on internal self-audits, while county facilities may undergo reviews only once every one to two years without routine evaluation from certified, independent food safety inspectors.

House Bill 2033 establishes mandatory sanitary baselines across all facilities, requiring clean food storage to prevent spoilage and pest infestations, mandated hygiene protocols – such as handwashing and required hair and beard nets – and at least one supervisory food service employee certified in food sanitation on duty. Crucially, the bill empowers Department of Agriculture inspectors to enter facilities, test food and drinking-water supplies, and publish all inspection reports on a publicly accessible state website.

“When the commonwealth assumes custody of an individual, we assume responsibility for their health and well-being. Withholding the most fundamental baseline of public health violates that sacred trust,” said state Rep. Nate Davidson, D-Cumberland/Dauphin. “Compassion does not stop at cell doors, nor does it ignore the correctional officers and facility staff who eat meals from these same kitchens every single shift. By making inspections independent and public, we increase transparence, decency and accountability.”

"People who are incarcerated do not lose their right to basic health and safety,” said state Rep. Ben Waxman, D-Phila., who co-sponsors the bill. “When the government is responsible for feeding someone, it has a responsibility to make sure that food is safe, the water is clean, and kitchens are sanitary. This bill brings independent oversight and consistent food safety standards to correctional kitchens across the commonwealth, while also protecting the health of correctional officers and staff.”

Under the legislation, the Department of Agriculture is also directed to coordinate directly with the Department of Health, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Corrections if an inspection or food sample indicates a risk of foodborne illness or a threat to facility water supplies.

House Bill 2033 now moves to the state Senate for consideration.