COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)
- A state Senate subcommittee has postponed acting
on a bill that would prevent obese people from
suing restaurants and beverage companies for their
weight gain.
The panel wants to see what happens with a
similar provision pending in Congress, which could
make the debate here moot. The Personal
Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, nicknamed
the "cheeseburger bill," is pending in the U.S.
Senate after passing the U.S. House last October.
At least 21 states, including neighboring
Georgia, have passed such immunity laws. Bills are
pending in 10 other states.
But the measure that cleared the South Carolina
House last April hit a logjam in the Senate.
The Hospitality Association of South Carolina
wants lawmakers to remove a provision that
requires restaurants disclose their food's
ingredients and nutritional value in exchange for
immunity - a clause not included in the laws in
other states. The state Trial Lawyers Association
insists it stay in. With compromise attempts
failing, both sides requested Wednesday that
lawmakers kill the bill.
The subcommittee then delayed discussion
indefinitely.
"We're afraid if we do something unique here,
we're going to put undue burden on our
restaurants," said Hospitality Association
president Tom Sponseller.
Lawyer Matthew Richardson said such lawsuits
aren't expected to be filed in South Carolina
anyway.
