For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 2, 2007
Montgomery Councilmember Leventhal, D.C. Councilmember Mendelson
Support Nutritional Labels for Restaurant Menus
In Rare Joint News Conference, Montgomery and District Legislators Urge Region-wide Effort to Protect Diners
ROCKVILLE, August 2, 2007—Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal and District of Columbia Councilmember Phil Mendelson today combined efforts in a rare joint news conference featuring members of the two neighboring Washington metropolitan area jurisdictions. The legislators sought to draw attention to their respective proposals to require chain restaurants to include certain nutritional information on menus and menu boards.
At the news conference held at 5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW, on the corner of Wisconsin and Western avenues in the District, Councilmembers Leventhal and Mendelson urged jurisdictions around the Beltway to adopt similar legislation.
On Tuesday, July 31, Councilmember Leventhal introduced a bill before the Montgomery County Council that would require a restaurant that is part of a chain of 10 or more national locations that offer the same type of menu to post the number of calories, grams of fat and grams of sodium on menus for any standardized menu item. Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Councilmember Mendelson has introduced a similar measure before the D.C. Council.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has advocated for legislation that requires restaurants to provide nutritional information. CSPI asserts that providing this information will allow consumers to make informed choices when dining in restaurants.
“Among the most important functions of government is to do whatever possible to protect the health and safety of our residents,” said Councilmember Leventhal. “Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Marylanders and we think that our residents might like to be better informed about what they are eating in chain restaurants. By making this a region-wide program, we can help protect residents when they enter a chain restaurant regardless of what jurisdiction in which it is located.”
Councilmember Mendelson said he agrees that the program is important, and so is the need to have it implemented in jurisdictions throughout the metropolitan area.
“Progressive jurisdictions across the country are acknowledging the importance of menu labeling as a tool to combat obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases,” said Councilmember Mendelson. “I'm excited to join with our neighbors in Montgomery County to advocate for legislation that would provide consumers the information they need to make informed choices when they dine out."
If passed, the legislation introduced by Councilmember Leventhal would go in effect on Aug. 1, 2008. A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for Sept. 18. Councilmember Mendelson introduced similar legislation in the District in March of this year, and the bill currently sits with the Council’s Committee on Health. A hearing has yet to be scheduled.
The only jurisdictions nationally that have adopted a requirement for restaurants to include nutritional information on menus and menu boards are New York City and King County, Wash.. The regulation took effect in New York on July 1. The regulation will be implemented in King County on Aug. 1, 2008.