Proposed Legislation Would Cut Trans Fats From Texas Restaurants

Texas State Senator Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso), Representative Carol Alvarado (D-Houston), and the Texas Restaurant Association held a joint press conference this morning promoting new bills that could drastically reduce the level of artificial trans fats in Texas food products.

Senate Bill 204 and House Bill 1523 each calls for a ban on artificial trans fats from all Texas restaurants, and would require all prepared and served food items to contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.

"Across Texas, a silent epidemic of obesity is shortening lives, raising health costs and putting more and more Texans at risk," said Sen. Shapleigh in an early press release. "With SB 204, we can make sure more Texans live strong—and healthy lives."