Trans fat bill fails in the Senate Jacobs stands up for Oreos

Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline), this past Thursday, led the fight against legislation to ban trans fats from restaurants and vending machines throughout Illinois.

"I love Oreo cookies, and I love the trans fats they made them with, I'll still eat them without it, but I liked the Oreo's better with trans fats," stated Senator Jacobs about his self-admitted guilty pleasure. "Frankly, I think I ought to make the decision of what I choose to eat rather than my colleagues.  I don't support Illinois becoming a nanny state."  

Many manufacturers have already removed trans fats from their products, such as Nabisco.  This bill was aimed more towards restaurants, fast food and cafeterias.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, Senator Donne Trotter, the bill's sponsor, reminded Senator Jacobs with plenty of sarcasm, "that he could still get his trans fat and live a good life and that Jacobs hadn't missed to many meals or seen a doughnut he didn't like."  Senator Trotter was then presented a cupcake after the bill failed; as lawmakers applauded, he ate it in one bite.

"On a more serious note, this legislation would have put a hardship on local restaurant owners who earn their living serving fried foods," stated Jacobs.  "During these tough economic times, I don't think it is fair for the General Assembly to impose this type of regulation."  

Currently, the only other state to ban the use of trans fats is California.

House Bill 1600 failed in the Senate by a vote of 13 to 40, after passing out of the House of Representatives by a 73 to 43 margin.