BATON ROUGE – A Louisiana Senate committee passed legislation earlier this week that requires restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus, The Advocate reports. The bill now proceeds to the full Senate for consideration.

Louisiana Senator David Heitmeier proposed Senate Bill 512 to mirror the Affordable Care Act’s nutrition-labeling requirement. Heitmeier’s proposal would affect restaurants with 15 or more locations.

Heitmeier said the labeling requirement would enable Louisiana residents to make more informed eating decisions. 

Stan Harris, president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, warned against passing a law that would be in conflict with federal regulations. He said it would be confusing and costly to restaurants.

Heitmeier said he would continue to work with the Restaurant Association. “These are some complex issues,” Heitmeier said. “I am comfortable we can work through these issues and not affect jobs in this great state.”

Heitmeier’s bill would require chain restaurants to list on a food display tag, menu or menu board the total calories per serving of each food and beverage item listed for sale. It would also be required to post the following statement: “To maintain a healthy weight, a typical adult should consume approximately 2,000 calories per day; however, individual calorie needs may vary.”

Restaurants found to be in non-compliance would be subject to a fine of between $250 and $1,000.

NACS encourages its members to take action at the federal level and ask their U.S. senators and representatives to support menu-labeling legislation in both the House and Senate.