BILL NUMBER:  SB 120
  VETOED	DATE: 10/14/2007




To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 120 without my signature.

This bill would require restaurants with at least fourteen locations in California to display
nutrition information on menus and menu boards.

The health of Californians has been a priority for my Administration. As Governor, I
have outlined my Vision for a Healthy California. This vision calls on individuals,
communities, businesses and government to work together to promote an environment
that encourages healthy eating, regular physical activity and responsible individual
choices. In addition, I have signed legislation to get junk food out of our schools as well
as to provide incentives to increase purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables in
low-income communities

While I support providing people information to help them make healthy choices, this bill
is impractical. As written, SB 120 would place burdens and costs upon some restaurant
owners while imposing no burdens or costs on others. In addition, this bill provides
restaurants with little flexibility for how they provide consumers with nutritional
information. From brochures to tray liners, many restaurants are responding to consumer
demand by providing nutritional information to their customers in a variety of ways.
Further, more and more companies are making detailed information available online,
allowing consumers to compare one restaurant�s healthy dining options to another.

Inflexible mandates applied sporadically are not an effective way to continue our
progress in educating Californians about healthy living. Restaurants throughout
California have demonstrated that they are committed to working with me to promote this
goal. In vetoing this bill, I am calling upon the restaurant community to reiterate this
commitment and continue to work with me, the proponents of this bill, and all
Californians in developing effective ways to promote healthy dining options.

Sincerely,



Arnold Schwarzenegger