NC State Senator Says Restaurant Workers Shouldn’t Have To Wash Hands

Posted by | February 3, 2015 15:00 | Filed under: News Behaving Badly Politics Top Stories


Is it too much government to regulate that workers in restaurants should wash their hands after bathroom breaks? Senator Tom Tillis says the market should take care of this issue.

Tillis made the declaration at to the Bipartisan Policy Center, at the end of a question and answer with the audience. He was relaying a 2010 anecdote about his “bias when it comes to regulatory reform.”

“I was having a discussion with someone, and we were at a Starbucks in my district, and we were talking about certain regulations where I felt like ‘maybe you should allow businesses to opt out,’” he said, “as long as they indicate through proper disclosure, through advertising, through employment literature, or whatever else.”

Tillis was, at the time, the minority whip of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

“She said, ‘I can’t believe that,’” he continued in retelling the story. “And at that time we were sitting back at a table that was near the restrooms and one of the employees just came out. She said: ‘For example, don’t you believe that this regulation that requires this gentleman to wash his hands before he serves your food is important and should be on the books?’”

“I said: ‘As a matter of fact, I think it’s one that I can [use to] illustrate the point,’” he remarked. “I said: ‘I don’t have any problem with Starbucks if they choose to opt out of this policy as long as they post a sign that says “We don’t require our employees to wash their hands after leaving the restroom,”’” he recalled, as the audience chuckled. “The market will take care of that.’”

“That’s the sort of mentality that we need to have to reduce the regulatory burden on this country,” he added. “We’re one of the most regulated nations in the history of the planet.”

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Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

38 responses to NC State Senator Says Restaurant Workers Shouldn’t Have To Wash Hands

  1. Pilotshark February 3rd, 2015 at 15:13

    So you think Starbucks would voluntary place a sign saying that? LMAO no way they would if they didn’t have to, cause it would a take a idiot to eat or drink there knowing your server just used the bathroom and maybe wiped clean.

  2. Pilotshark February 3rd, 2015 at 16:13

    So you think Starbucks would voluntary place a sign saying that? LMAO no way they would if they didn’t have to, cause it would a take a idiot to eat or drink there knowing your server just used the bathroom and maybe wiped clean.

  3. cogitoergodavesum February 3rd, 2015 at 15:20

    So he favors regulations on signs?

  4. cogitoergodavesum February 3rd, 2015 at 16:20

    So he favors regulations on signs?

  5. arc99 February 3rd, 2015 at 15:46

    What if the business does not require their employees to wash their hands, nor do they post that information publicly? Do you pass a law mandating the signs? That would be exactly the kind of regulation this guy apparently wants to avoid. Then what about a patron who ignores the warnings, eats at the Dirty Hands Diner and gets sick. The person is transported to the county emergency room and spends a week in intensive care to the tune of $250,000.

    Better hope that patron obtained insurance as required by the ACA. Otherwise NC taxpayers are on the hook for the medical bills. Then the patron sues the restaurant tying up time and resources in local courts.

    Wouldn’t it be cheaper and more efficient to require employees to wash their hands? Just askin…

  6. arc99 February 3rd, 2015 at 16:46

    What if the business does not require their employees to wash their hands, nor do they post that information publicly? Do you pass a law mandating the signs? That would be exactly the kind of regulation this guy apparently wants to avoid. Then what about a patron who ignores the warnings, eats at the Dirty Hands Diner and gets sick. The person is transported to the county emergency room and spends a week in intensive care to the tune of $250,000.

    Better hope that patron obtained insurance as required by the ACA. Otherwise NC taxpayers are on the hook for the medical bills. Then the patron sues the restaurant tying up time and resources in local courts.

    Wouldn’t it be cheaper and more efficient to require employees to wash their hands? Just askin…

  7. Pilotshark February 3rd, 2015 at 15:48

    YO Tom Typhoid Tills you bring a whole new meaning to a sh!t sandwich.

  8. Pilotshark February 3rd, 2015 at 16:48

    YO Tom Typhoid Tills you bring a whole new meaning to a sh!t sandwich.

  9. Guy Lauten February 3rd, 2015 at 16:01

    more Dumb-as-a-Rock. Yoicks.

  10. Guy Lauten February 3rd, 2015 at 17:01

    more Dumb-as-a-Rock. Yoicks.

  11. Snick1946 February 3rd, 2015 at 16:09

    Tell you what, Thom. In my next life if I am a food worker, I’ll be sure to pee on my hands before serving you. Why not- the market will take care of things won’t it? Won’t it??

  12. Snick1946 February 3rd, 2015 at 17:09

    Tell you what, Thom. In my next life if I am a food worker, I’ll be sure to pee on my hands before serving you. Why not- the market will take care of things won’t it? Won’t it??

  13. William February 3rd, 2015 at 16:38

    It is after all North Carolina.

  14. William February 3rd, 2015 at 17:38

    It is after all North Carolina.

  15. CCreadme February 3rd, 2015 at 18:46

    Irony Alert. The sign he says must be posted is also a regulation…

  16. CCreadme February 3rd, 2015 at 19:46

    Irony Alert. The sign he says must be posted is also a regulation…

  17. Mich Buck February 3rd, 2015 at 23:13

    Well guess whose house I will never eat at? Obviously, the senator (small case type) is too young to remember how polio was handled prior to the vaccine. http://www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/about/prevention-treatment.html

  18. Mich Buck February 4th, 2015 at 00:13

    Well guess whose house I will never eat at? Obviously, the senator (small case type) is too young to remember how polio was handled prior to the vaccine. http://www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/about/prevention-treatment.html

  19. DublinIreland February 4th, 2015 at 14:17

    That is NOT what the man said. If only people could read, and were able to grasp the meaning of words and complex sentences, they might not make stupid comments after articles like this. The “headlines” are twisted just to gain a look see….wise up. Read, all the way down to the very bottom of this article, if you can make it that far and you will see the actual words spoken.

    • mea_mark February 4th, 2015 at 14:47

      Well, I read the entirety of your comment and it is nothing but trolling gibberish. Try harder next time.

      • DublinIreland February 4th, 2015 at 16:17

        My comment was deleted? Liberal land isn’t so liberal is it? I pointed out in my comment that people should read the ARTICLE in its entirety, not my comment in its entirety. You just proved my point mea_mark, you liberals are really not too bright. Try again. A troll? Hah You are a silly person. Oops…here comes that blue button again.

  20. mea_mark February 4th, 2015 at 15:47

    Well, I read the entirety of your comment and it is nothing but trolling gibberish. Try harder next time.

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