Wis. Law Would Ban Suits Against Restaurants for Making People Fat

Wisconsin lawmakers are taking tort reform to a new level with a proposal that would prevent people from suing restaurants and food distributors for making them fat.

A proposal in the Wisconsin state Senate is designed to prevent frivoulous lawsuits and protect businesses from “overzealous trial lawyers,” according to one of its sponsors, Sen. Tom Reynolds, (R-West Allis). The Senate approved the proposal 24-9 this week.

Opponents of the proposal said that legislation provides group wholesale liability and is not a good idea. Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) said the system is already set up to weed out nuisances and protect businesses from frivolous cases.

A senate staffer said that if the bill reaches Gov. Jim Doyle he would veto it. The governor vetoed a similar bill in 2004.

Source: Associated Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinal