The Brief

A bill making its way through the California legislature would require restaurants to warn customers of nine common food allergens.

Senate Bill 68 — proposed by Sen. Caroline Menjivar, who represents the San Fernando Valley — would require the disclosure on a menu or in a digital format like a QR code.

During a conversation on AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news program, local restaurateurs raised some concerns about what more regulations could mean for an already struggling industry.

Which allergens are included?

The bill requires these nine food allergens be disclosed. This includes ingredients that have protein related to these allergens, but not refined oils associated with the respective food.

• Crustacean shellfish
• Eggs
• Fish
• Milk
• Peanuts
• Sesame
• Soybeans
• Tree nuts
• Wheat

Restaurant owners respond

Brett Thompson, chef and co-owner of Pez Cantina in downtown Los Angeles and Pez Coastal Kitchen in Pasadena, had mixed feelings on the proposal in the case of fine dining spots that usually change their menus more often.

"[It's] definitely harder to keep up with the allergen list versus fast food restaurants, where the menu doesn't really change very often," Thompson said.

James Boyles, partner and chef at 38 Degrees Ale House in Alhambra, worries about cross-contamination and how that could add confusion about what's required on menus.

" I think there needs to be a little bit of grace... where we are educating our staff as much as possible," Boyles added.

Adam in L.A., a 20-year veteran chef, called into the program and said ultimately customers need to take responsibility, but, " in the past, I've put all the allergens on the disclaimer to cover my bases at the bottom of my menu."

The push for more transparency

Robyn Lao, pediatric nurse and co-sponsor of the bill, responded to the concerns and pointed to research that shows nearly half of reactions to some food allergens come from food items at restaurants. She said more transparency can only help and potentially even benefit restaurant workers by streamlining answers to concerns and questions.

On frequent menu changes: " We know that there may be ingredient changes and things like that," Lao said, adding that the bill offers flexibility with digital or separate, print-out menus.

On cross-contamination: Lao said the bill requires labeling for the top nine allergens, but not for cross-contamination.

" For cross-contamination, we still encourage food allergy families to have verbal communication with staff," Lao said.

Each customer could make their own risk assessment after receiving that information.

On personal responsibility: Lao said she understands the bill " is not a 100% fail-safe."

Listen

Los Angeles officials expect construction of a fence around MacArthur Park will start in November and continue through fall 2027. 

At a community meeting Thursday night at MacArthur Park Elementary School, officials said fence installation is now expected to continue through fall 2027, overshooting the previously announced spring 2027 completion date.

Thursday’s meeting highlighted the divide over the city’s plan to fence off MacArthur Park, with tensions rising during public comment. The Los Angeles Police Department says the fence will make drug enforcement easier, while some in the community who volunteer around the park questioned whether it will improve safety enough to justify the cost.

The city has allocated $2.3 million for the project, but officials have not said whether that will cover the full cost.

Installation of the green metal fence around the park’s perimeter is expected to begin in November and take about a year. A second phase, adding decorative elements to the fence, is planned for fall and winter 2027. Officials said the schedule could change because of weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The park is expected to remain open during construction.

Capt. Ben Fernandes with the LAPD’s Rampart Division said the fence would create a barrier along Alvarado Street and other areas where officers have seen people using narcotics. That would allow police to focus more of their enforcement efforts inside the park, he said.

“So if people are going deeper into the park to use, that’ll make it easier for us to go in and do enforcement on them and arrest them for that use,” Fernandes said. 

MacArthur Park will close every night once an 8-foot-tall fence goes up around the green space, with Los Angeles police officers sweeping the park for encampments and people sleeping there before the gates shut. The Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners approved the plan Thursday.

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LA Recreation and Parks

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“I’ve been an officer for 29 years, and I’ve always known I can go buy drugs there, and I did as a narcotics officer. So what I’m saying is, we are trying to make it not convenient,” he added. 

Fernandes also said the city plans to enhance the park’s existing camera network. LAPD officers and Los Angeles Park Rangers will be able to monitor the cameras from their respective stations, he said. City officials are still evaluating whether additional cameras will be needed to address blind spots in the park after construction is complete.

Ariana Walker, who visits MacArthur Park every Saturday with a group of friends who pool their own resources to distribute food and hygiene kits, questioned whether the city had shown that the fence would improve safety and how much it would cost to maintain.

“The fence is a $2.3 million fence at the base level,” she said. “And they haven’t given us any indication of how much more it’s going to cost for upkeep, to keep anybody safe. There’s no conclusive evidence that a fence is going to stop crime the way that they’re suggesting.”

The meeting grew tense when John Alle, a local property owner whose family owns the building that houses Langer’s Delicatessen across the street from the park, objected to having his comments read from a written comment card rather than speaking directly to officials. Alle has been a vocal critic of the city’s response to drug activity and public safety concerns around MacArthur Park.

He was allowed to comment during the meeting and said the city needs to take a tougher approach to drug use and sales around the park. 

“We see knife attacks at all hours of the day. It’s out of control. And it’s not gotten any better,” he said. “We want to bring it back to where it was 15 or 20 years ago.”

Los Angeles officials expect construction of a fence around MacArthur Park will start in November and continue through fall 2027.

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Gary Coronado

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The LA Local

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Alle pointed to public events at the park, including an upcoming Día de los Muertos celebration and a Labor Day weekend picnic hosted by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman as positive developments for the space. But he added those events do not reflect conditions throughout the park.

Officials also outlined other planned improvements, including restoring access through the tunnels connecting the park’s north and south sides, making accessibility upgrades and providing free Wi-Fi for parkgoers. 

Residents who want to provide input on the fence’s decorative elements can email admin@themorcosgroup.com or call (310) 479-4727 for more information.

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