State lawmakers voted Thursday to say they feel the same way about Happy Meal toys as they do about guns: You can’t take them.
Legislation given preliminary House approval would bar cities and counties from enacting any sort of law or regulation that limited the ability of restaurants to offer incentives. A final roll-call vote next week will send the measure to the Senate.
HB 2490 is quite broad in what it would make off-limits to local control, including contests, coupons and trading cards.
But what’s really at issue are the toys, coloring books and even glasses featuring cartoon characters that have become staples of meals aimed at kids at many fast-food spots.
California communities have been at the forefront of that movement.
For example, a San Francisco ordinance does not ban toys. But it makes those incentives illegal in any children’s meal with more than certain levels of fat, calories and sodium.
A McDonald’s Happy Meal with four chicken nuggets, fries and a small sugar-sweetened soda has 530 calories and 23 grams of fat. Substituting apple dippers and caramel for the fries and milk or juice for the soda cuts that somewhat.
There have been no reports of any Arizona community following suit. But the Arizona Restaurant Association and some franchise owners convinced Rep. Jim Weiers, R-Glendale, to make sure it stays that way.
Weiers told Capitol Media Services he was more than happy to oblige.
“Government needs to stay out of the way of free enterprise,’’ he said.
“It doesn’t concern them, it has no effect on them whatsoever,’’ Weiers continued. “Every business has the right to do something as long as it not actually hurting anyone else.’’
He brushed aside arguments that incentives to get kids to demand high-fat and high-calorie meals leads to childhood obesity.
“Ask the parents who are supposed to be ultimately responsible,’’ he said.
House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, said the Legislature should butt out of the issue.
“It’s another example of the state doing what we complain the feds are doing all the time,’’ he said, meaning pre-empting local control.
Campbell said these kind of issues should be left up to locally elected officials. And he said it’s not like the residents of each community are powerless.
“If the cities want to try and do that and the voters of the city are unhappy, the voters of that city can throw out that city council and that mayor,’’ he said. “If they like what the mayor and city council are doing, they can reelect them.
But Weiers said he has no problem telling city officials what they can — and, in this case, cannot — do.
“They do a crummy job of running cities for the most part,’’ he said. “I don’t know whether they think they have a better handle on how to run business.’’
The list of items that HB 2490 would prohibit communities from banning as incentives extends far beyond toys and games. It includes admission tickets, ride tokens, vouchers and even crayons and paper placemats to keep youngsters busy.
hillstreet posted at 12:02 pm on Fri, Feb 25, 2011.
Dang, I am definitely running for a legislative office next time. If this is the toughest work these morons do, I'll be speaker of the senate in no time!
Leon Ceniceros posted at 12:41 pm on Fri, Feb 25, 2011.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh....the "call" of the almost extinct, Arizona Chicken.
Upset because Arizona's Republican Legislature is tearing down Democrat Party Socialism...piece by piece by piece. The fast-food franchises that employ ...TENS OF THOUSANDS of workers in the State of Arizona are glad that these "CALIFORNIA COMMUNISM" laws are being struck down by our...."BUSINESS-FRIENDLY"...Administration.
Oh, I'm sorry...I am talking over the heads of Democrats and Liberals when I use words like.............WORK......and....BUSINESS.
Let's see if I can explain it to them....work = is when an Arizona citizen...EARNS...his/her....OWN...weekly check (it doesn't come in the mail from Uncle Sam automatically).
Business = is the company that hires workers who...EARN...their own paycheck.
I know these are concepts that will take the Democrats and Liberals some time to comprehend now that Americans all across our Great Nation have revolted against ....TAX AND SPEND DEMOCRAT PARTY BUDGETS WITH ...TRILLION DOLLAR DEFICITS FINANCED BY COMMUNIST CHINA.
CRADLE TO GRAVE DEMOCRAT/LIBERAL POLITICS ARE A THING OF THE PAST.........THE "WELFARE STATE" IS DEAD AND BURIED.
Just like the old Charles Swabb commercial.....IF AMERICANS WANT A PAYCHECK....THEY HAVE TO GET IT THE OLD FASHIONED WAY = EARN IT.
percivale posted at 1:10 pm on Fri, Feb 25, 2011.
The republican run Arizona government is by far the biggest collection of morons I ever see , second Arizona is the worst state in almost everything surpass only by some southern states, therefore I expect to see comments like the one above.
You elect monkeys you get peanuts in return.
Thank you
Poorman posted at 2:32 pm on Fri, Feb 25, 2011.
For sure the last thing i need is for some braindead do gooders telling me what to feed my kids and wether or not they get something in their Happy meal or whatever.They don't eat at MCD anyhow.
IceCat posted at 2:53 pm on Fri, Feb 25, 2011.
Best line in the entire article:
“They do a crummy job of running cities for the most part,’’ he said. “I don’t know whether they think they have a better handle on how to run business.’’
It's not like Weiers and company is doing a great job running the state.
LinMesa posted at 3:31 pm on Fri, Feb 25, 2011.
Do those idiots in the legislature even know that this state needs a budget, health care and jobs????
soricobob posted at 6:59 am on Sat, Feb 26, 2011.
The legislators who complain about Washington getting involved in everything, sticking their noses is places they don't belong, and wasting taxpayer's dollars on frivolous activities and legislation have spoken! Now, lets see what they do about those nasty Burger King promotions.
wdgnas posted at 7:51 am on Sat, Feb 26, 2011.
There have been no reports of any Arizona community following suit. But the Arizona Restaurant Association and some franchise owners convinced Rep. Jim Weiers, R-Glendale, to make sure it stays that way.
Weiers told Capitol Media Services he was more than happy to oblige.
“Government needs to stay out of the way of free enterprise,’’ he said.
i can agree with that. lets get the 3 carrier groups out of the persian gulf and med. let the business interests in that region fend for themselves...