Local counties can't require restaurants to post nutrition information about their menu items under a bill that easily passed the (Georgia) Senate Thursday. The bill, which sailed through the House earlier this session, now goes to the governor's desk.
Lawmakers say House Bill 1303 protects restaurants from being at the whim of dozens of different local jurisdictions. "It's a proactive, pre-emptive bill,"said Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas) who handled the bill for the Senate. "The fear is that without legislation, we may find ourselves trying to over-regulate."that hasn't yet come to Georgia.
San Francisco, New York City and the Seattle region have passed menu labeling requirements recently and several other metropolitan counties and large cities are considering them. Such rules typically focus on chain restaurants with standardized offerings and 15 or more locations.
The restaurant industry has opposed those measures.
Lawmakers say House Bill 1303 protects restaurants from being at the whim of dozens of different local jurisdictions. "It's a proactive, pre-emptive bill,"said Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas) who handled the bill for the Senate. "The fear is that without legislation, we may find ourselves trying to over-regulate."that hasn't yet come to Georgia.
San Francisco, New York City and the Seattle region have passed menu labeling requirements recently and several other metropolitan counties and large cities are considering them. Such rules typically focus on chain restaurants with standardized offerings and 15 or more locations.
The restaurant industry has opposed those measures.
