State Lawmakers Take Aim at Nutrition Info on Labels, Menus

California lawmakers this session have introduced several bills aimed at promoting nutrition awareness and healthy eating, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Supporters hope the measures will fight rising obesity rates and diabetes rates, while opponents of the legislation say the efforts are unnecessary and could increase costs to businesses.

The bills include:

• SB 120, by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Los Angeles), which would require restaurant chains with 10 or more locations to post fat, carbohydrate and sodium content on menus;
  
• SB 180, by Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), which would require restaurant chains with five or more locations in the state to post calorie counts on menus;
  
• AB 93, by Assembly member Bonnie Garcia (R-El Centro), which would ban trans fats in restaurants and other food establishments by January 2009; and
  
• AB 97, by Assembly member Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), which would extend the trans fat ban to grocery stores by July 2009 (Schultz, Sacramento Bee, 2/13).