SB258 Alabama 2018 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Tom Whatley
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2018
Title: Food service establishments, grease traps required to be secured and locked, civil fines
Summary: SB 258 requires outdoor or publicly accessible grease traps at commercial food service establishments to have secured, locking manhole covers and adds penalties for non-compliance.
What This Bill Does
It requires grease trap manholes to be gas-tight, able to withstand expected loads, and secured against unauthorized access (locked or bolted or heavy enough). Establishments must keep the grease trap manhole secured at all times. The Alabama Department of Public Health would adopt rules to implement the act and enforce penalties for violations. If an establishment does not comply, it faces a $500 civil penalty per violation, plus daily penalties for each day until corrected, with all penalties deposited to the State Treasury for use by the Department of Public Health.

Who It Affects
Commercial food service establishments that use grease traps outdoors or in areas accessible to the public, which must secure the grease trap manholes and comply with the deadlines.
The Alabama Department of Public Health, which will enforce the penalties and administer the rules.

Key Provisions
Grease traps with manholes must have gas-tight construction and covers that prevent access by children; the cover must be secured by a bolt or locking mechanism or be heavy enough to prevent unauthorized access.
Establishments must ensure the grease trap manhole is secured and locked at all times.
The Department of Public Health will adopt rules to implement the act and oversee its enforcement.
Establishments must comply within six months after the act becomes law.
Penalties include a $500 civil penalty per violation and additional penalties for each day of noncompliance; penalties go to the State Treasury for the Department of Public Health's administration and enforcement.
The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after it passes and is approved by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Restaurants