The United Fresh Produce Association in September will mark the 20th anniversary of the United Fresh Washington Conference. Formerly known as the United Fresh Washington Public Policy Conference, the association first formally brought members to Capitol Hill in 1995 to meet with government leaders in an effort to advance produce industry issues. Over the past […]
Tag: legislation
Posted in, Northeast
Boston Mayor Files Ordinance To Ban Smokeless Tobacco At Sports Venues, And More…
Convenience Store News In Brief… Boston Mayor Martin Walsh says he will take steps to prohibit the use of smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products at baseball parks, including Fenway Park, and other professional and amateur sports venues in Boston. He has filed an ordinance with the Boston City Council. The ordinance will ban smokeless […]
Posted in, Northeast
Mass. Governor Signs Tax Holiday Into Law, And More…
New Channels News In Brief… Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has signed into law a state sales tax holiday, which will be Aug. 15 and 16. The law is similar to those passed in past sessions and exempts sales tax collection for certain items purchased under $2,500. Items that will continue to be taxed include meals, […]
Posted in, Northeast
Mass. Bill Aims To Protect Existing Tobacco Sales, And More…
Convenience Store News In Brief… After last year’s failed attempt by the Westminster, Massachusetts, Board Of Health to ban the sale of tobacco products, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) reports that Massachusetts state lawmakers have begun drafting bills that would prevent local governments from enacting similar ordinances. A recent hearing of the state’s […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
House Passes National Food Labeling Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act by a vote to 275 to 150. The bill, which still must be passed by the Senate before it becomes law, establishes a federal labeling standard for foods with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), giving sole authority to the Food and […]
Posted in, Northeast
NYACS Says Fast Food Wage Board Should Not Include C-Stores
The New York Association of Convenience Stores is speculating that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “Fast Food Wage Board” is heading toward a recommendation that fast-food workers be paid a minimum of $15 an hour—71 percent more than the existing statutory minimum wage of $8.75. According to Jim Calvin, NYACS president, food service-oriented convenience stores are […]
Posted in, Northeast
QuickChek Launches Q Cafe At Balloon Festival, And More…
Convenience Store News In Brief… Whitehouse, New Jersey-based QuickChek has maximized its extensive involvement with the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning to build its brand and introduce new menu items. QuickChek is launching its new Q Café at the three-day festival, July 24-26. At the festival site—Solberg Airport in Readington, New Jersey—the café will offer […]
Posted in, Northeast
Pennsylvania Governor Rejects Privatized Liquor Sales Bill
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has rejected a legislative bill that would have allowed for the sale of state-owned liquor stores and privatized the state’s liquor system. Wolf says the bill falls short of “a responsible means to reform our state liquor system and maximize revenues to benefit our citizens.” “It makes bad business sense for the […]
Posted in, National
Menu Labeling Rule Compliance Date Extended For One Year
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided a one-year delay to the date restaurants—and those deemed by FDA to be “similar retail food establishments”—would be required to apply the final chain restaurant menu-labeling rule. The menu labeling rule requires chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations to list calorie information […]
Posted in, Northeast
New York Operators Tell Governor To Include Restaurant Input On Wage Board
More than 100 New York restaurant operators recently sent a letter to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo imploring him to keep New York open for business. The letter was written in response to the governor’s decision to unilaterally instate a self-appointed wage board targeting fast food restaurants without any representation from the restaurant industry. In […]
Posted in, Northeast
Vermont Soda Tax Takes Effect, And More…
Convenience Store News In Brief… Beginning July 1, Vermont residents began paying more when they get the urge to snack, with the introduction of a new 6 percent sales tax on soft drinks and a 9 percent meals tax on vending machine items. The taxes are part of a $30 million package of tax increases […]
Posted in, Northeast
N.Y. Mayor Plans New Recycling Rules For Large Scale Food Companies, And More…
New Channels News In Brief… New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has proposed requiring large-scale commercial food establishments to separate organic waste. The city laid out a plan to send zero waste to landfills and reduce waste disposal by 90 percent relative to 2005 levels, by 2030. The proposal would impact all food service […]
Posted in, Northeast
Pennsylvania Moves Closer To Privatized Liquor Sales
For the first time in its history, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has approved legislation to privatize the state liquor system. While the Pennsylvania House has twice passed a similar bill, this is the first time the Senate also has approved it, by a 27-22 vote. Under the bill, state liquor stores would be phased out […]
Posted in, Northeast
Bay State Proposes 210 Percent Tax On Flavored Tobacco, And More…
Convenience Store News In Brief… The Massachusetts Senate is looking to increase the tax on flavored cigars, flavored smoking tobacco and flavored “blunt wraps” from 40 to 210 percent in an attempt to reduce use of the products by young adults. Unflavored and tobacco-flavored cigars would remain taxed at 40 percent. If the tax hike becomes […]
Posted in, National
NGA Expresses Disappointment On Overtime Rule
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is not pleased with the a proposed rule—set to be published Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)—that raises the salary threshold in which a worker is qualified for overtime pay. The change to the overtime pay law dramatically expands the number of people who will qualify for increased pay […]
Posted in, Northeast
NRA To Continue To Push For Healthcare Law Changes
Although the Supreme Court has upheld the federal Affordable Care Act, the National Restaurant Association believes Congress must make common-sense changes to the law. Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on King vs. Burwell: “While (this) decision by the Supreme Court is one […]
Posted in, Northeast
Federal Rule Could Make More Salaried Workers Eligible For Overtime Pay
President Obama is expected to formally announce a new rule from the Department of Labor (DOL), raising the salary threshold under which employees must be paid overtime rates for hours worked. Currently, that salary threshold is $455 per week, or $23,660 per year. The proposed DOL rule would dramatically increase that amount to a number […]
Posted in, Northeast
U.S. Senators File Bill To End Online Lotteries
Several U.S. senators have filed a bill that would end online lotteries. These senators include Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Dan Coats (R-Indiana) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina). The senators noted that, in December 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published an opinion […]
Posted in, Northeast
Brinker International Acquires 103 Franchised Chili’s Restaurants, And More…
Food Service News In Brief… Brinker International has acquired Pepper Dining Holding Corp., a franchisee of 103 Chili’s Grill & Bar restaurants primarily located in the Northeast and Southeast for $106.5 million. Overall, Brinker owns, operates or franchises 1,629 restaurants under Chili’s Grill & Bar (1,580 restaurants) and Maggiano’s Little Italy (49 restaurants)… Rhode Island […]
Posted in, National
Hawaii Becomes First State To Raise Legal Smoking Age To 21
Hawaii will become the first state in the country to ban smoking for anyone under age 21 next year after Gov. David Ige signed a bill raising the smoking age from 18 to 21 Friday. According to Hawaii News Now, the measure bans the sale or use of cigarettes and electronic smoking devices for anyone […]