April 25, 2024

Law bans restaurants from serving obese

While obesity is a problem, and something seriously needs to be done, the Mississippi House of Representatives has gone above and beyond the call to bring forth the issue. In House Bill 282, three representatives, W.T. Mayhall, Jr., Bobby Shows, and John Read proposed a bill to ban restaurants from serving obese people.

This archived article was written by: Kara Heaton

While obesity is a problem, and something seriously needs to be done, the Mississippi House of Representatives has gone above and beyond the call to bring forth the issue. In House Bill 282, three representatives, W.T. Mayhall, Jr., Bobby Shows, and John Read proposed a bill to ban restaurants from serving obese people.

Section 1.1 of the bill sets provisions for which restaurants will be required to follow this bill. Section 1.2 states, “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” and that the State Department of Health will prepare written materials that explain what constitutes an obese person. Section 1.3 states that if the restaurant does not follow this bill, then their license can and will be revoked.

When asked if he really believed that the bill would pass, Mayhall remarked that he did not think it would pass, but the issue is seriously, and there is a need for government action. He hopes it will “call attention to the serious problem of obesity and what it is costing the Medicare system.”

Mayhall brought this to attention because Mississippi has the highest obesity in the nation. The South is generally referred to as the “Biggest Belt,” which is another reason Mayhall has brought this bill forward. Utah rates as 43rd in the nation.

If Mississippi’s law passes, we at The Eagle have some laws that we would like to be passed as well.

HB282A: The Wireless Law. This law requires schools with wireless to fix any problems involving it within 24 hours of a breakdown or malfunctions. Students would also be excused from assignments that require the Internet, and if the wireless is undergoing a drastic change, the school is required to notify the students before hand.

HB282B: The Food Inspections Law: College campuses are required to have a food inspector visit monthly to determine of the food being served is fit and healthy for the students to be eating.

HB282C: The Loud and Obnoxious Law: This law bans people from loudly and obnoxiously complaining about current issues if they refuse to participate in politics.
HB282D: The Meal Card Law: This law will allow meal card money to roll over if all the money is not used up by the end of the year. If a student is not returning to the school the following semester, they will receive their money back for what they did not spend.
HB282E: The Icy Sidewalks Law: All sidewalks or icy areas on campus must be salted before 8 a.m. so that students will be slip and fall as they are walking to their classes in the morning.

HB282F: Residential Lock Downs Law: The college campus will no longer have a 24/7 lock down on residential housing. The outside doors will remain unlocked at all times.
HB282G: Snowy Parking Lot: The campus will remove all snow from the parking lots, and will never plow and leave the snow piled up behind cars.

HB282H: Boxer Law: Men will no longer wear their pants so far down that everyone will be able to see their boxers, briefs, or whatever form of underwear they are wearing.
HB282I: Winter Clothing Law: This law requires that no one wears summer clothes, such as T-shirts, shorts, mini skirts, or flip flops during the winter months. These months include December through February.

BH282J: Schmoozer Law: The law requires the campus and other authorities to advertise for the Friday Night Schmoozers more than they have. They will include the genres of music that will be played that night, and the radio station, The Edge, will play some of their music at least three days in advance.