INDIANAPOLIS | A Gary legislator's attempt to make available nutritional information at Indiana restaurant chains drew a helping of derision Thursday from a top state Republican.
House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, bemoaned a number of "burdensome and expensive" business regulations that Democrats have sent to the state Senate. He singled out Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, for his bid to make chains with at least 20 Indiana restaurants disclose the content of menu items.
"If we had a golden bankruptcy form for small businesses, perhaps we should give that to Representative Brown," Bosma said during a Thursday news conference. "We are forcing a lot of small businesses to make tough decisions between complying with regulations or employing people at the local level ... Something's got to go."
The response?
"To sum up Mr. Bosma's comments in one word: poppycock," Brown said Thursday. "We're talking about a chain that has 20 or more restaurants in the state of Indiana. I don't know if you can actually define that as a small business. And how does it put a chain out of business by simply posting (nutritional information)?"
Brown is sponsoring House Bill 1207, which would require restaurant chains to post calorie and carbohydrate information on menus and print pamphlets listing the cholesterol, fat, fiber, protein, sodium and sugar content of dishes.
The legislation, modeled after a law California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed last fall, cleared the Democratic-controlled Indiana House on a 51-46 vote late Wednesday. It now moves to an uncertain fate in the GOP-ruled Senate.
The proposed law could hit violators with fines of up to $1,000 a day, with the proceeds going to state or local health departments that enforce the requirements.
