Summary

As of June 30, 2001, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants, was responsible for licensing and inspecting 32,976 public lodging establishments and 38,068 food service establishments and for regulating the operation of 34,356 elevators. The costs of Division operations are paid primarily from the Hotel and Restaurant Trust Fund. Our tests of selected Division inspection-related activities and our review of the Trust Fund’s financial condition disclosed:

• The Division, in general, conducted timely inspections of public food service establishments.

• The fund balance of the Hotel and Restaurant Trust Fund has declined significantly from the 1997-98 fiscal year through the 2000-2001 fiscal year. We found that the increased expense of some additional positions, absent associated fee increases or the reduction of other expenditures, has been a primary contributor to the Trust Fund’s declining financial position.

• Although the Division assesses the maximum fee of $6 per license per year, the Hospitality Education Program (HEP) has been operating at a loss. The HEP provides training to individuals and businesses licensed under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes, and is to include vocational training, management training, in-service continuing education programs, and awareness of food-recovery programs.

• Contrary to the requirements of Section 509.036, Florida Statutes, the Division’s public food service inspectors did not always complete 20 hours of continuing education annually. Continuing education is an important part of the inspection process as it provides some assurance that inspectors remain knowledgeable of current practices and problems in the food service industry.

The Secretary's complete response to the audit findings and recommendations in audit report No. 02-060 may be viewed in its entirety on the Auditor General Web site.