There may be legal penalties coming for Arizonans who intentionally contaminate food or drink that isn't theirs.
Inspired by viral videos like last year’s Blue Bell Challenge with people licking ice cream in grocery store freezers, the state Senate Commerce Committee voted Wednesday to make actions like that a misdemeanor crime. Some are concerned the measure is too broad.
Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) supports the bill, but says the proposed penalties need to be adjusted, depending on the efforts publicizing the contamination.
“The reason I’m supporting this is I’m far more concerned about what a video like that posted online could do to that business. That could just be utterly devastating,” Mesnard said.
Dan Bogert, chief operating officer at the Arizona Restaurant Association told lawmakers of an incident two years ago where a restaurant faced months of financial loss after two individuals filmed themselves spitting into ice buckets and then geotagging the restaurant’s location.
Sen. Tony Navarrete (D-Phoenix) suggested there be a public education campaign rather than criminal penalties, but that drew criticism from Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale), who said it should be a no-brainer for people to not lick ice cream out of a grocery store freezer.
The 8-1 vote for the measure, with Navarrete dissenting, sends the measure to the full Senate.
