A new California bill is drawing attention across the food and hospitality industries as lawmakers push for stronger protections for millions of residents with severe food allergies.
Senate Bill 970, authored by Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-Van Nuys), would require restaurants to identify major allergens on their menus—mirroring the federal labeling requirements already in place for packaged foods. The legislation passed the state Senate unanimously (32-0) and is now under consideration in the Assembly.
If enacted, the bill would mandate that restaurants disclose the presence of any of the nine major allergens—milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame—on printed or digital menus, or via a separate allergen information menu. Mobile food vendors like food trucks and carts would be exempt.
Menjivar, who has been hospitalized multiple times due to accidental allergen exposure in restaurants, emphasized the life-threatening risks of food allergies during a recent hearing. “This lack of disclosure is very life-threatening,” she said, recounting a New Year’s Eve emergency triggered by almond milk in a drink she believed was nut-free.
According to the CDC, roughly one-third of people with food allergies report experiencing a reaction in a restaurant setting. For families like those of Kim Nickols, Amy Lewis, and Robyn Huey Lao, the absence of reliable allergen information on menus has meant avoiding dining out altogether due to the high risks involved.
While the California Restaurant Association (CRA) initially opposed the measure—arguing that labeling could create a false sense of security and that ingredient variability poses practical challenges—its stance has softened. The nonprofit advocacy group Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), which originally co-signed the CRA’s opposition, has now dropped its objections following amendments aimed at offering restaurants more flexibility.
“Sen. Menjivar is moving in the right direction to empower the food allergy community with the information we need,” said FARE CEO Sung Poblete.
Medical experts also support the measure. Dr. Travis Miller of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology said that proper labeling could prevent dangerous, sometimes fatal, reactions. “The patient goes from eating dinner to dead within hours,” Miller said. “Labeling and cross-contamination awareness are critical to a safer dining environment.”
If approved, the bill could set a precedent for allergen disclosure nationwide—transforming how restaurants approach food safety and customer trust.