ST. PAUL, MN - Minnesota??s House Civil Law Committee approved earlier this week the so-called "Cheeseburger Bill," which would give the food industry immunity from lawsuits from people who consume too much unhealthy food and get fat, the Pioneer Press reports. The bill now moves to Minnesota??s full House for consideration.

Formerly known as the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act," the bill has been proposed numerous times by Rep. Dean Urdahl since early in the last decade when the media began publicizing lawsuits against QSRs over the health effects of their food.

While no such lawsuit has ever been filed in Minnesota, Urdahl predicted, "It??s just a matter of time," adding, "People are responsible for their own actions, particularly where food is concerned."

Rep. John Lesch opposes the plan, saying it would let corporations escape liability for their actions. "Responsibility cuts both ways," Lesch said, drawing comparisons to lung-damaging asbestos and explosion-vulnerable Ford Pintos.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski said the proposal offers badly needed reform for a society ripe with litigation. "I think (the bill is) exactly on track to where we need to go here in society," he said. "Our society has gotten to be a sue-happy society."

The Cheeseburger Bill has twice passed the House in the past 10 years but died both times in the Senate. However, this year, Sen. David Hann said he would introduce a similar version in the Senate.