California can now be classified as the Nanny State. Evidently the the billion dollar boondoggle train to nowhere, San Francisco’s needle and poop infested streets, and wildfires devastating the state aren’t as important to virtue signaling legislators. The nanny state game entered a new phase with the passage of a bill that will keep kids from drinking too many sodas in restaurants. 

A California bill seeking to limit restaurants to serving children only water or unflavored milk with their meals passed the Assembly this week and is now making its way to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.

Wait what? This is a joke right? California is not seriously telling restaurants that they have to police the choices of their clientele are they? Why yes, yes they are.

In other words, California is legislating people’s food choices when they eat in public. And some are thrilled with that notion.

But California lawmakers could make that sugary fix harder to get as a new effort to impact the eating habits of children gains momentum at the state Capitol.

“Cancer is fought in the halls of government, not just in the halls of the hospital,” said Stephanie Winn with the American Cancer Society.

Her group is one of many supporting the bill that would force restaurants to automatically serve water or milk with kids meals instead of juice or soda. She argues children’s meals shouldn’t come with a side order of diseases.

“Some of these kids are drinking up to three sodas a day. This is setting them up for tremendous cancer risks down the road. Because now we know that 20 percent of all cancers are tied to being overweight,” she said.

Via Legal Insurrection, we find out that there are quite a few others who support this type of nanny state action. 

California should require warning labels on soda

Blackmail. Extortion. Shakedown.

Those words were used to describe the soda industry’s latest attack on California. Its lobbyists this summer strong-armed state legislators into making it illegal for cities and counties to adopt sugary-drink taxes and undermined peoples’ hopes to improve their health and well-being.

But while Big Soda may have been successful in temporarily interfering with local democracy, they can’t deny the facts. Sugary drinks are making us sick.

Yes, it is true that too much of something can contribute to an unhealthy life. In fact, some are saying that it’s the same thing as the laws that require us all to wear seatbelts for safety. Oh ok. So passing a law that tells a private business what they can and cannot serve to their clientele is the equivalent of a seatbelt? Yeah, no.

Supposedly the restaurants can serve juice or soft drinks if the parent or kid specifically requests it. But it’s a pretty safe bet that restaurants will also charge more than they have in the past.

I would hate this. My healthy kids only ever got milk or water at home, but soda was the big treat when we got to eat out.

— Kate Gordon (@NICURNLC) August 18, 2018

And if the kid is lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy his only option is water? And how do the politicians know how often they eat out? Maybe it's just monthly, or only on special occasions, where a treat is not a problem. Government needs to stop parenting!

— Frank's Head (@ftdatl) August 18, 2018

I’ll decide what to feed my kid! If I want to award him every once in a while with a happy meal & soda that’s my damn business!

— Clarie (@clarielittle1) August 18, 2018

Exactly. California wants to legislate your meal choices and is also working on passing a statewide soda tax…all in the effort to make people be healthy whether they want to be or not.

If you like having a government tell you what you can and cannot do, then moving to the Nanny State of California is the answer for you.