A trio of Mississippi lawmakers has rolled out pending legislation that would, in effect, bar obese people from dining at public restaurants.
With more than 30 percent of its population considered obese, Mississippi is always near the top of the annual “fattest states” list. But there is tremendous outrage over Mississippi House Bill 282 which is backed by Republicans W. T. Mayhall, Jr. and John Read, and Democrat Bobby Shows.
The measure would apply to any restaurant that holds a health department permit and has enclosed seating for five or more - a definition broad enough to cover almost every restaurant in the state, not just those that serve fast food. The bill does not spell out what penalties an eatery would face for violating the law.
“Any food establishment to which this section applies shall not be allowed to serve food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health after consultation with the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management,” the bill states.
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Diet.com medical director Dr. Robert Kushner, vice president of the Obesity Society, says, “I am outraged! Though I understand that the obesity epidemic has become serious enough that legislators are trying to see what role they can take to help out, I will never understand legislating discriminatory practices.
“Just like diabetes and heart disease, obesity is a disease and the last thing we want legislators doing is drafting bills that single out people with different afflictions. I can assure that our society will be responding to these legislators and letting them know that this will not be tolerated”
go one step further, ban smoking from the state. 