Banning Junk Food At The State

Katy Grimes: Another ridiculous bill is traveling through the Legislature which would kill more small businesses in California because Big Brother wants you to lose weight.

AB 727 authored by Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, would require 50 percent of the food sold in vending machines in state buildings to meet federal nutritional standards, and by 2016, 100 percent.

California is crumbling under the weight of an ever expanding government, irresponsible and condescending legislators, and not because of the waistlines of state employees and school children.

Mitchell’s website states “As part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move Initiative…California plans to help lead the effort in creating healthier environments by adopting a similar food procurement strategy for its cafeterias, office buildings, and vending machines.”

California is leading the effort in whacky laws and infringements on individual rights and liberties.

The current requirement for healthy food in vending machines in the state is already a whopping 35 percent.

According to several vending machine owners who testified at today’s hearing in the Senate Health Committee, the healthy food requirement has cut severely into their tiny profits. Vending machine owners said that fruit, nuts and other “healthy and sustainable foods” don’t sell, and they end up throwing it out. This is a cost to vending machine owners that comes right out of their pockets, thanks to the nuts in the Legislature.

But Mitchell insisted at the hearing that her bill is the start of a culture shift, similar to smoking cessation programs, and even child car safety seats.

She indicated that the “public health crisis” is justification enough for this bill, which has absolutely nothing to do with how fit or fat state workers are. They will instead just start bringing more fatty snack foods to work in their lunch boxes.

Los Angeles County passed an ordinance that requires that 100 percent of the food in vending machines in county buildings to meet the federal health guidelines. California schools are also required schools to sell “healthy” foods in cafeterias and in vending machines.

Mitchell commented on how well it this has worked, and did not result in revenue loss to school districts.

But many real health experts say that the federal health guidelines are a sham and are what has created so much obesity and a taste for fat across the country… that, and maybe that public schools have cut dodge ball during recess and can’t be bothered with P.E. anymore. School kids have never been more obese than they are right now. Instead of providing kids the opportunity for team play and the benefits of a little exercise, self-discipline and competition, monkey bars have been deemed too dangerous and dodge ball is mean.

Mitchell insisted that limiting choices of state employees will go a long way to helping them become healthier – as well as considering “the greater collective good” for Californians.

Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Simi Valley, asked Mitchell if Californians “are not smart enough to make food purchases.” Mitchell said she was not trying to save the world, and reiterated that she was limiting her bill to vending machines on state property only.

Both cigarettes and food are “lethal, lethal weapons if misused” according to Mitchell.

This bill proves that the California Legislature should be part-time. Legislators like Mitchell and bad bills like AB 727 do more damage than good by putting hard working, small business men and women out of work under the guise of saving others.

This is how and why lawmakers are accused of picking and choosing winners while California rapidly disintegrates.

Condescending, busy-body legislators are ruining California. Whether rewriting state history, ordering bans on soft drinks and plastic bags, or trying to dictate health insurance companyy’s premiums, California legislators are one of the most out-of-control, pompous and irresponsible governing bodies in the country.

Limiting candy bar choices in vending machines will do nothing to help obese state employees lose weight, and in fact, will only make them despise Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell when the Three-Muskateers candy bar has been replaced by an aging, bruised apple or a cardboard-flavored granola bar.

JULY 6, 2011