Section 13. Rules and regulations.
(a) Nature of rules.--The secretary shall be charged with the enforcement of this act and shall promulgate rules, regulations and food standards necessary for its proper enforcement. The rules, regulations and food standards shall conform and shall be construed to conform with the purposes expressed in section 16. Except to the extent that they are inconsistent with the regulations adopted by subsection (f), the rules, regulations and food standards in effect on the day prior to the effective date of this act shall continue in effect unless subsequently modified by regulations promulgated by the secretary.
(b) Local inspection.--The secretary shall enter into agreements with any county, city, borough, incorporated town or township of this Commonwealth for the enforcement of this act and the rules, regulations and food standards promulgated under this act in food establishments, provided that such county, city, borough, incorporated town or township satisfies the minimum standards established by the secretary and the minimum standards required to be eligible for State grants pursuant to the act of August 24, 1951 (P.L.1304, No.315), known as the Local Health Administration Law. Nothing herein shall prohibit any county, city, borough, incorporated town or township which was licensing food establishments in accordance with the Local Health Administration Law on the day prior to the effective date of this act from continuing to license such food establishments in accordance with that act. No county, city, borough, incorporated town or township shall ordain or enforce requirements of any kind or description related to sanitation, food safety, inspections, standards and labeling other than those promulgated by the secretary in accordance with this act or adopted in accordance with subsection (f), except that, prior to promulgation of regulations applicable to retail food stores, any such county, city, borough, incorporated town or township may utilize the Model Retail Food Store Sanitation Code as the basis for enforcement.
(c) Reciprocal inspection.--The secretary is authorized to enter into reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions to insure inhabitants of this Commonwealth that food sold in this Commonwealth complies with the provisions of this act and its regulations. The agreements may be for reciprocal inspection and labeling review. The secretary may approve or accept inspection and labeling requirements of other jurisdictions with respect to food.
(d) Uniform regulation.--In reaching agreements with counties, cities, boroughs, incorporated towns or townships and reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions, the provisions of this act and its regulations shall be considered as establishing uniform requirements and regulations for food establishments throughout this Commonwealth as defined in section 2.
(e) Interagency agreements.--Nothing herein shall prohibit a Commonwealth agency, which was regulating and inspecting food establishments in accordance with the act of May 23, 1945 (P.L.926, No.369), referred to as the Public Eating and Drinking Place Law, on the day prior to the effective date of this act from continuing to regulate and inspect such food establishments in accordance with the Public Eating and Drinking Place Law.
(f) Adoption of Federal regulations.--All regulations and supplements thereto or revisions thereof adopted under the Federal acts which relate to food on, before or after the effective date of this act are hereby adopted as regulations in this Commonwealth and shall remain in effect unless subsequently modified by regulations promulgated by the secretary. In promulgating regulations, the department shall be guided by the Model Retail Food Store Sanitation Code, published by the Association for Food and Drug Officials.
(g) Definition.--As used in this section, the phrase "other jurisdictions" shall mean the United States of America or any state, territory or possession thereof or any other country.