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Committee approves substitute to require restaurants to disclose imported shrimp
Summary
The Senate committee advanced a substitute to HB 117 requiring Georgia food-service establishments to disclose on menus or placards when shrimp sold are imported; sponsors framed the bill as consumer transparency amid concerns about antibiotics, inspection gaps and misleading local claims.
A Georgia Senate standing committee on Thursday voted unanimously to advance a Senate substitute of HB 117 that would require food-service establishments in Georgia to clearly indicate when shrimp they serve are imported.
The bill’s sponsor told the committee that about 94% of shrimp consumed in the United States is imported and described recurring food-safety and trade concerns, saying "we have had 5 occasions just since we left here last session" of what he called "radioactive shrimp." He also said federal inspections are relatively rare, citing an inspection figure of "0.7%" for foreign seafood imports. "The FDA itself states that it achieves less than 5% of congressionally mandated inspections on foreign seafood facilities," the presenter said in committee.
Under the substitute the committee considered, restaurants and other food-service establishments would be required to put on menus or prominently display a placard indicating that shrimp are imported when imported shrimp are served. The sponsor said the measure is aimed at consumer transparency and to prevent restaurants from suggesting they serve local shrimp when they do not: "They're literally different species ... they can tell you whether it's a domestic shrimp and whether a restaurant is pretending they're serving domestic shrimp or not."
Committee members pressed for details on enforcement and remedies. The presenter said that, if the bill passes, rules and regulations would be drafted by the state’s environmental health department and that labeling could include product-level listings in freezers. Senators also asked about potential price impacts; the sponsor said domestic shrimp will likely cost more and that restaurants can choose which products to serve.
A motion for due pass on the substitute was moved and seconded; the committee voted 'aye' and the motion carried unanimously on the rules. The substitute under consideration was LC600252S, the transcript shows.
The committee’s discussion included assertions about failed shipments (the presenter cited both 81 and 84 failed shipments in 2024 when describing returned shipments) and broader trade concerns, including alleged dumping and past USAID activity in Ecuador, which a presenter raised as context for reduced domestic harvests. The transcript records committee interest in enforcement and in how the rule would be operationalized by the department responsible for food-service surveys.
