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Nutrition Labeling in Chain Restaurants …

Tags: arkansas website, arkleg, cga, chain restaurants, committee summary, connecticut website, health condition, health welfare, janet johnson, joint committee, labor committee, menu board, nutrition information, retail food establishments, sb 168, senate committee, senate public health, session status, special session, weight gain,
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Created: Wed Jan 30 14:36:29 2008

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Nutrition Labeling in Chain Restaurants
Pending State and Local Bills � 2005-2006

Arkansas
Website: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/

HB 1823 Introduced February 21, 2005 by Representatives Ledbetter (D), Bradford (D),
Janet Johnson (D), Pace (R), and Walters (R). Not introduced in 2006 special session.

Status: Read for the first and second time February 21, 2005. Referred to the Committee
on Public Health, Welfare and Labor.

The committee gave the bill a "do pass" recommendation on March 1. On March 2, the
House passed the bill by a vote of 88-0, with 12 Members not voting. The bill was then
referred to the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

On April 4, after a hearing in the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor,
the bill failed to get a second and was not reported out of committee.

Summary: This bill, known as the "Commonsense Consumption Act", would protect
chain restaurants from liability for damages based on claims of injury resulting from a
person's weight gain, obesity, or any health condition that is related to weight gain or
obesity if the restaurant includes nutrition information on its menu or menu board. Chain
restaurants are defined as retail food establishments having ten or more locations
nationally. Nutrition information on menus must include total amount of calories,
saturated fat plus trans fat, and sodium per serving. If the restaurant uses only a menu
board, it may limit the nutritional information to total number of calories per serving, and
additional written information shall be made available to customers at the point of sale
upon request.

Connecticut
Website: http://www.cga.ct.gov

SB 168 Introduced January 14, 2005 by Senator Toni Harp (D). Not reintroduced in 2006
session.

Status: Referred to Joint Committee on General Law. A public hearing was held on
March 1. The bill was not taken up by Committee so further action is not possible in this
session.

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Summary: This bill would require retail restaurants and other food establishments with
10 or more locations nationally to list nutritional information for all standard menu items.
On printed menus, this information shall include total number of calories, saturated fat
plus trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium. Nutrition information on menu boards may be
limited to total number of calories per serving, provided additional information shall be
made available to customers in writing upon request.

District of Columbia
Website: http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/

B16-0495 Introduced November 1, 2005 by Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D), co-
introduced by Councilmembers Marion Barry (D) and Kathy Patterson (D) and
cosponsored by Councilmembers Kwame Brown (D), Adrian Fenty (D), Vincent Gray
(D), and Jack Evans (D). In session through 12/31/06.

Status: Referred to Health Committee.

Summary: The Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act of 2005 would require
restaurants, which are part of a chain having 10 or more locations nationally, to provide
nutrition information for standard menu items as usually prepared and offered for sale.
On printed menus, the information would include calories, saturated plus trans fat,
carbohydrates, and sodium. Nutrition information on menu boards could be limited to
calories, provided that additional information be made available to customers in writing
upon request. Compliance would be determined within the course of regular health
inspections of food facilities. Inspectors would not be required to verify accuracy of the
nutritional information, but could request documentation of accuracy from corporate
owners.

Hawaii
Website: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov

SB 1098 Introduced January 26, 2005 by Senator Rosalyn Baker (D).

Status: Passed first reading January 27, 2005. Referred to Committees on Health and
Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing. Carried over to 2006 Regular session.

Summary: This bill would require a retail food establishment that is part of a franchise
comprised of ten or more establishments to list nutritional information for all standard
menu items. On printed menus, this information shall include total number of calories,
saturated fat plus trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium. Nutrition information on menu
boards may be limited to total number of calories per serving, provided additional
information shall be made available to customers in writing upon request.

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HB 1579 Introduced January 27, 2005 by Representative Dennis Arakaki (D). Carried
over to 2006 Regular session.

Status: Referred to Committees on Health, Consumer Protection and Commerce, and
Finance. Hearing held in Health Committee for February 7, 2005.

On February 9, 2005 the Health Committee recommended that the bill be passed with
amendments by a vote of 5-1. On February 11, 2005 the bill passed Second Reading and
was referred to Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

As amended by the Health Committee, the bill would require that restaurants provide
nutrition information to consumers on request.

Illinois
Website: http://www.ilga.gov

HB 249 Introduced January 14, 2005 by Representative Mary Flowers (D).

Status: Referred to Human Services Committee. The Committee held a hearing on
March 2 and defeated the bill by a vote of 11-1. March 10 amendment passed by voice
vote and referred to Rules Committee.

Summary: This bill would require restaurants and similar retail food establishments with
10 or more locations nationally to list nutritional information for all standard menu items.
On printed menus, this information shall include total number of calories, saturated fat
plus trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium. Nutrition information on menu boards may be
limited to total number of calories per serving, provided additional information shall be
made available to customers in writing upon request. As amended: Requires restaurants
and similar fast food establishments to post a sign informing their customers that certain
foods on their menus may be high in calories, grams of saturated fat plus trans fat and
milligrams of sodium per serving which has been known to cause diabetes, heart disease
and high blood pressure.

SB 520 Introduced February 17, 2005 by Senator Iris Martinez (D).

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Status: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Service and Rules.

Maine
Website: http://janus.state.me.us/legis/

LD 110 Introduced January 11, 2005 by Representative Margaret Craven (D). Not
reintroduced in second regular session. First regular session for 123rd Maine legislature
begins December 6, 2006.

Status: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services, and subsequently
referred to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development.

A hearing was held in the Joint Committee on Business, Research and Economic
Development on February 10. The bill was reported out of the joint committee on
February 15 with a recommendation of "ought not to pass" by a vote of 10�2.

On March 8, the Maine House defeated LD 110 by a vote of 120-25, with six members
absent. On March 10, the Senate defeated the bill by a vote of 31-4.

Summary: This bill requires restaurants that are part of chains with 20 or more locations
nationally to provide caloric information for food and drink items on menus or menu
boards adjacent to the listing of the food item. The bill also exempts telephone orders
from the requirements and allows for reasonable variation of calories in food items from
the provided caloric information due to the assembly of items by hand or changes or
substitutions made at the request of the customer.

Massachusetts
Website: http://www.mass.gov/legis/

SB 160 Introduced December 1, 2004 by Senator Richard Moore (D).

Status: Referred to the Committee on Community Development and Small Business.
The Committee held a hearing on the bill on May 3, 2005.

October 13, 2005 -- Committee on Community Development and Small Business voted
out and sent to Rules Committee, see S2233.

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Summary: This bill would require all restaurants, including take-out facilities and
catering businesses serving food in Massachusetts to post in an easily visible location or
otherwise make available upon request menu boards that display nutritional information
on all food and beverage products sold for consumption either on the premise or as a
take-away item. The information must include, but is not limited to, total number of
calories, grams of saturated fat plus trans fat, grams of carbohydrates, and milligrams of
sodium. If the restaurant uses only a menu board, it may limit the nutritional information
listed on the menu board to the total number of calories per serving, provided that
additional information be available to customers in writing upon request.

Potential House sponsor � Philip Travis (D) who sponsored some legislation on
requiring some healthy options on children's menus.

New Jersey
Website: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us

A3064 Introduced June 21, 2004 by Assemblymen Douglas Fisher (D) and William
Payne (D). Cosponsored by Assembly Members John Burzichelli (D) and Joan Quigley
(D).

A1693 Introduced January 10, 2006 and referred to HHS Committee. NJ Assembly
session is 2006-2008.

Status: Referred to Assembly Health and Human Services Committee. On February 28,
the Assembly Majority Leader agreed to delay any action on A3064 until after the
November elections.

Summary: This bill would require retail food establishments with 20 or more locations in
New Jersey to list nutritional information for all standard food and beverage items sold.
On printed menus, this information shall include total number of calories, saturated fat
plus trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium per serving. On menu boards, the total number
of calories per serving must be listed adjacent to each item, and information about
saturated fat and trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium shall be made available to
customers upon request.

New York
Website: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/

A 5664 Introduced February 25, 2005 by Representatives Ortiz (D), with cosponsors
Galef (D), Gottfried (D), Cook (D), P. Rivera (D), Mayersohn (D), Norman (D),

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Zebrowski (D), and Englebright (D); and multi-sponsored by Brennan (D), A. Cohen (D),
Lavine (D), Lifton (D), Markey (D), McEneny (D), Pheffer (D), J. Rivera (D), Sanders
(D), and Towns (D).

Status: Read once and referred to the Committee on Health. On April 12, 2005 the
Health Committee approved the bill by a vote of 19-2, and referred it to the Committee
on Codes. The Codes Committee approved the bill on June 14, 2005. The Rules
Committee reported out the bill on June 15. On June 16, the bill came up in the
Assembly but was ordered held for debate. The bill was debated on the Assembly floor
on June 22, 2005 but was held over for a future vote.

January 4, 2006 referred to Committee on Health. January 18, 2006 referred to Codes
Committee.

Summary: This bill would require chain restaurants with 10 or more locations nationally
and 5 or more locations in New York State to list nutrition information for all standard
menu items. On printed menus, this information shall include total number of calories,
saturated and trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium per serving. On menu boards, the total
number of calories per serving must be listed adjacent to each item, and information
about saturated fat and trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium shall be made available to
customers upon request.

S 4551 Introduced April 15, 2005 by Senators Morahan (R) and Hannon (R).

Status: Referred to the Committee on Health.

Ohio
Website: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/search.cfm

HB 423 Introduced November 15, 2005 by Representatives Shirley Smith (D), Michael
Skindell (D), Dale Miller (D), Brian Williams (D), Sylvester Patton (D), Joyce Beatty
(D), Barbara Sykes (D), and Kenny Yuko (D).

Status: Referred to Health Committee.

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Summary: The legislation would require restaurants, which are part of a chain having 10
or more locations nationally and 5 or more locations in Ohio, to list calories, saturated fat,
trans fat, carbohydrates, and sodium on the menu or menu board for standard menu items
as usually prepared and offered for sale.

Oklahoma
Website: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06SB/SB1309_int.rtf

SB 1309 Introduced February 6, 2006 by Senators Bernest Cain (D) and Constance
Johnson (D).

Status: Referred to Health and Human Resources.

Summary: The `Oklahoma Nutrition Information Act' would require chain restaurants to
provide nutrition information (calories, fat, carbohydrates, sodium, and protein) for all
standard menu items in a printed form that the customer may keep. They also must post a
sign on the premises advising that nutrition information concerning standard menu items
is available upon request. Chain restaurant is defined as a restaurant or similar retail food
establishment having five or more locations within Oklahoma.

Pennsylvania
Website: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/

HB 375 Introduced February 9, 2005 by Representatives Bishop (D), Youngblood (D),
Caltagirone (D), Thomas (D), Creighton (R), Bebko-Jones (D), Leach (D), Josephs (D),
Mann (D), Daley (D) and Washington (D).

Status: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Summary: This bill would require food establishments that are associated with a chain of
20 or more locations nationally to provide nutrition information on menus. The nutrition
information must be similar to the categories of nutrition information provided on
packaged foods sold in grocery stores. Nutrition information must also be provided on
wrappers and boxes used to deliver food and drink items to customers in a size,
arrangement and typeface similar to that of nutrition information on packaged foods.
Restaurants with menu boards can limit nutrition information to calories.

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Philadelphia
Website: http://www.phila.gov/citycouncil/index.html

Bill No. 050614 Introduced June 9, 2005 by Councilmembers Blondell Reynolds Brown
(D), Juan Ramos (D), W. Wilson Goode (D), Donna Reed Miller (D) and Darrell Clarke
(D).

Status: Referred to the Committee on Public Health and Human Services.

Summary: The legislation would require that fast-food restaurants, which are part of a
chain of five or more locations, make available, upon request, a document listing
ingredients and nutritional information for each menu item. The document would list
vitamins, minerals, calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, sodium and potassium, as well as
all ingredients in the food and all ingredients used in the preparation of the food.

Vermont
Website: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/

H 0327 Introduced February 22, 2005 by Representatives Koch (R), Dostis (D), Niquette
(R), and Pugh (D).

Status: Referred to the Committee on Human Services.

Summary: This bill would require chain restaurants with 20 or more locations nationally
to list nutrition information for all standard menu items. On printed menus, this
information shall include total number of calories, saturated fat, carbohydrates, and
sodium per serving. On menu boards, the total number of calories per serving must be
listed adjacent to each item, and information about saturated fat and trans fat,
carbohydrates, and sodium shall be made available to customers in writing upon request.

For more information contact Dr. Margo Wootan at the Center for Science in the Public
Interest at 202-777-8352 or mwootan@cspinet.org.

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