New Senator Pushes for Less Government Regulation on Restaurant Staff Washing of Hands

Feb 05, 2015 12:30 PM EST

(Photo : Reuters) A nurse washes her hands near a door with an ergonomic and anti-contamination Ulna door handle at a maternity hospital in Nantes, western France, November 17, 2009. Five thousand of the 88 euro Ulna handles have been sold in three months to hospitals and restaurants concerned about hygiene from pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) swine flu virus. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe (FRANCE BUSINESS HEALTH)

Neophyte North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis proposed less regulation when it concerns the matter of washing of hands after using the bathroom by restaurant staff.

He believes the marketplace should determine that policy, not the legislature. However, his example was less convincing.

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On Monday, the senator told the Bipartisan Policy Center, quotes Washington Post, "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 that we don't require our employees to wash their hands after leaving the restroom."

Reactions to his statement elicited negative comments from citizens.

In the comments section of nola.com, woodcutters said he knew the proponent is a Republican "The minute I saw the headline."

Cassnola called Tillis a moron, while asking the greenhorn senator is he has not heard of Typhus and Cholera.

Youandme504 described the senator as "dumb as hell," while Duchamp used the stronger term of "disgustingly stupid."

Wabaquasset said she won't eat anything from Tillis or his family crew.

Besides the negative comments from readers, Tillis is now also the butt of jokes on media.

Salon said if they see the senator campaigning, they wouldn't shake his hands or let him kiss their babies. Similarly, MSNBC said that Tillis' constituents should think twice before shaking his hands

The senator argues that his point is that workers in dining establishments should not wash their hands after emerging from the toilet for fear that their business would close due to perception that their food has been handled by people with dirty hands, rather that it is the correct sanitary practice.

North Carolina, which Tillis represents, has stringent hand-washing regulations more than just a mandatory sign above the bathroom sink. It requires washing 10 to 15 seconds with warm, running water in a designated hand-washing sink, the use of FDA-approved soap and drying the hands using disposable paper towels or a hand dryer.