Preemption and the Obesity Epidemic: State and Local Menu Labeling Laws and the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001, at 15; Brownell K. D. , “The Chronicling of Obesity: Growing Awareness of Its Social, Economic, and Political Contexts,” Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law 30, no. 5 (2005): 955–964.

National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Obesity Still a Major Problem, April 14, 2006, available at <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/06facts/obesity03_04.htm> (last visited October 3, 2008); Koplan J. P. Liverman C. T. Kraak V. I. , Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance (Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2005): At 22; id. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), at 15.

Id. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), at 10.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Defining Overweight and Obesity, May 22, 2007, available at <http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm> (last visited October 3, 2008).

Ogden C. L. , “Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999–2004,” JAMA 295, no. 13 (2006): 1549–1555, at 1550.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Healthy People,” available at <http://www.healthypeople.gov/> (last visited October 3, 2008).

Wang Y. Beydoun M. A. , “The Obesity Epidemic in the United States — Gender, Age, Socioeconomic, Racial/Ethnic, and Geographic Characteristics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis,” Epidemiologic Reviews 29, no. 1 (2007): 6–28, at 22.

Ashe M. Feldstein L. M. Graff S. , “Local Venues for Change: Legal Strategies for Healthy Environments,” Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 35, no. 1 (2007): 138–147.

Center for Science in the Public Interest, Nutrition Labeling at Fast-Food and Other Chain Restaurants, available at <http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/Nutrition_Labeling_Fast_Food.pdf> (last visited October 3, 2008); Brownell K. D. , “Fast Food and Obesity in Children,” Pediatrics 113, no. 1 (2004): 132.

Id. (Center for Science in the Public Interest).

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Calories Count: Report of the Working Group on Obesity,” March 12, 2004, available at <http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/∼dms/owg-toc.html> (last visited October 3, 2008).

Lando A. M. Labiner-Wolfe J. , “Helping Consumers Make More Healthful Food Choices: Consumer Views on Modifying Food Labels and Providing Point-of-Purchase Nutrition Information at Quick-service Restaurants,” Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 39, no. 3 (2007): 157–163, at 162–63; Center for Science in the Public Interest, Summary of Polls Related to Menu Labeling, available at <http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/census_menu_board_question.pdf> (last visited October 3, 2008).

See U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, supra note 1, at 17; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, supra note 11; Koplan Liverman Kraak , supra note 2, at 166.

U.S. Constitution, art. VI.

Teret S. P. DeFrancesco S. Bailey L. A. , “Gun Deaths and Home Rule: A Case for Local Regulation of a Local Public Health Problem,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 9, Supplement 1 (1993): 44–46.

Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly , 535 U.S. 525 (2001).

Teret S. P. , “Litigating for the Public's Health,” American Journal of Public Health 76, no. 8 (1986): 1027–1029.

Vernick J. S. , “Role of Litigation in Preventing Product-Related Injuries,” Epidemiologic Reviews 25, no. 25 (2003): 90–98.

Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc ., 128 S.Ct. 999 (2008).

Geier v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. , 529 U.S. 861 (2000).

Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr , 518 U.S. 470 (1996).

Sprietsma v. Mercury Marine , 537 U.S. 51 (2002).

Fribush R. S. , “Putting Calorie and Fat Counts on the Table: Should Mandatory Nutritional Disclosure Laws Apply to Restaurant Foods?” George Washington Law Review 73, no. 2 (2005): 377–394.

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University, “Menu Labeling Laws,” available at <http://www.yalerud-dcenter.org/what/law/topics_food_menu.html> (last visited October 3, 2008); see U.S. Food and Drug Administration, supra note 11; Koplan Liverman Kraak , supra note 2.

Wootan M. G. Osborn M. , “Availability of Nutrition Information from Chain Restaurants in the United States,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 30, no. 3 (2006): 266–268, at 267.

Wootan M. G. Osborn M. Malloy C. J. , “Availability of Point-of-Purchase Nutrition Information at a Fast-Food Restaurant,” Preventive Medicine 43, no. 6 (2006): 458–459.

Id., at 459.

See Wootan Osborn Malloy , supra note 26.

Center for Science in the Public Interest, “Subway First to List Calories on Menu Boards in Country,” July 9, 2007, available at <http://www.cspinet.org/new/200707091.html> (last visited October 3, 2008).

Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, Public Law No. 101–535, 104 Stat. 2353 (1990) (codified in part at 21 U.S.C. §§ 343[i], [q] and [r]).

21 U.S.C. § 343(q) (2008); see generally McCann M. A. , “Economic Efficiency and Consumer Choice Theory in Nutritional Labeling,” Wisconsin Law Review 2004, no. 4 (2004): 1161–1244, at 1187–1198.

21 U.S.C. § 343(q)(5).

21 U.S.C. § 343(r).

21 C.F.R. § 101.10 (2008); Center for Science in the Public Interest, Anyone's Guess: The Need for Nutrition Labeling at Fast-Food and Other Chain Restaurants, November 2003, at 14, available at <http://www.cspinet.org/restaurantreport.pdf> (last visited October 9, 2008).

See Wootan Osborn , supra note 25, at 267.

S 2784, 110th Cong. (2008).

HR 3895, 110th Cong. (2007).

S 2784; HR 3895.

S 1342, 110th Cong. (2007).

HR 2633, 110th Cong. (2007).

S 3484, 109th Cong. (2006); HR 5563, 109th Cong. (2006); S 2108, 108th Cong. (2004); HR 3444, 108th Cong. (2003).

The Public Health Law & Policy Program has developed a model menu labeling ordinance that can serve as a reference for states and localities. Public Health Law & Policy, Model California Ordinance Requiring Menu Labeling at Chain Restaurants (with Annotations), November 2007.

Center for Science in the Public Interest, Nutrition Labeling in Chain Restaurants: State and Local Bills/Regulations 2007, 2008, available at <http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/MenuLabelingBills2007–2008.pdf> (last visited October 3, 2008); “New York City Brings Back Menu Labeling,” The Nation's Health, March 2008, at 10; Menu Labeling at Chain Restaurants, Ord. No. 195–08 (San Francisco 2008).

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 2008 WL 1752455 (S.D.N.Y. 2008); New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 509 F.Supp.2d 351 (S.D.N.Y. 2007).

Allday E. , “S.F. Supes Require Posting of Nutrition Info,” San Francisco Chronicle, March 12, 2008.

Public Health, Seattle & King County, Nutrition Menu Labeling in King County, available at <http://www.metrokc.gov/health/boh/reg0802.pdf> (last visited Oct. 9, 2008).

E.g., Menu Education and Labeling Act, B17–0139 (District of Columbia 2007), available at <http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/images/00001/20070309121159.pdf> (last visited October 3, 2008).

E.g., Chicago City Council, Nutrition Labeling of Food at Certain Retail Food Establishments, available at <http://www.chicityclerk.com/citycouncil/journals/121306meeting/17NewBusiness/pgs95762–95811.pdf> (last visited October 7, 2008).

E.g., SB 1436 (Arizona 2007), available at <http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/1r/bills/sb1436p.htm> (last visited October 7, 2008).

E.g., Bill No. 19–07 (Montgomery County, Maryland 2007), available at <http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/council/pdf/bill/2007/19–07.pdf> (last visited October 7, 2008).

See Public Health, Seattle & King County, supra note 48.

Bill No. 19–07 (Montgomery County, Maryland 2007), supra note 53.

See Public Health, Seattle & King County, supra note 48.

E.g., Bill No. 070153 (Philadelphia, PA 2007), available at <http://webapps.phila.gov/council/attachments/4243.pdf> (last visited October 7, 2008); see Barron J. , “5 Restaurants in Manhattan Get Citations Over Calories,” New York Times, May 6, 2008.

U.S. Constitution, art. VI.

Hodge J. G. Jr. , “The Role of New Federalism and Public Health Law,” Journal of Law and Health 12, no. 2 (1998): 309–357.

Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr , 518 U.S. 470, 485 (1996).

Gostin L. O. , Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000): At 48; U.S. Constitution, amend. X; e.g., Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905).

U.S. v. Lopez , 514 U.S. 549 (1995).

Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp ., 331 U.S. 218, 230 (1947). The U.S. Supreme Court, however, recently explained that a state law's public health purpose is not enough to save the law from being preempted by a federal law when Congress has the power to act and its intent to preempt is clear. Rowe v. New Hampshire Motor Transp. Assn., 128 S.Ct. 989 (2008); Yost P. , “Court Invalidates Maine Tobacco Law,” Washington Post, Feb. 20, 2008.

16 C.F.R. §§ 1203.1 to .17, .30 to .34, .40 to .41, .51 to .53 (2008).

O'Reilly J. T. , Federal Preemption of State and Local Law (Chicago: American Bar Association, 2006): at 23.

See Pursley G. B. , “Rationalizing Complete Preemption After Beneficial National Bank v. Anderson: A New Rule, A New Justification,” Drake Law Review 54, no. 2 (2006): 371–472, at 385.

Ausness R. C. , “Preemption of State Tort Law by Federal Safety Statutes: Supreme Court Preemption Jurisprudence,” Kentucky Law Journal 92, no. 4 (2003–2004): 913–977, at 969.

Chemerinsky E. , Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies, 2nd ed. (New York: Aspen Publishers, Inc., 2d ed. 2002): at 380.

See O'Reilly , supra note 65, at 52.

Id., at 54.

Davis M. J. , “The Battle Over Implied Preemption: Products Liability and the FDA,” Boston College Law Review 48, no. 5 (2007): 1089–1154, at 1092.

See O'Reilly , supra note 65, at 62–63.

See Chemerinsky , supra note 68, at 384–385.

Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp ., 331 U.S. 218, 230 (1947).

Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc ., 128 S.Ct. 999 (2008).

See Chemerinsky , supra note 68, at 390–91.

Id., at 391.

See O'Reilly , supra note 65, at 72.

E.g., Gade v. National Solid Waste Management Association, 505 U.S. 88, 98 (1992).

See O'Reilly , supra note 65, at 75.

See Chemerinsky , supra note 68, at 398.

529 U.S. 861 (2000).

See generally, Diller P. , “Intrastate Preemption,” Boston University Law Review 87, no. 5 (2007): 1113–1176.

Dillon's rule is named for John Dillon, a 19th-century Iowa state court judge. Dillon published several treatises on local government law. His writings explain the theories behind what is now known as Dillon's rule. Barron D. J. , “Reclaiming Home Rule,” Harvard Law Review 116, no. 8 (2003): 2255–2386, at 2285.

Briffault R. , “Our Localism: Part I — The Structure of Local Government Law,” Columbia Law Review 90, no. 1 (1990): 1–115, at 8.

Bluestein F. S. , “Do North Carolina Local Governments Need Home Rule?” North Carolina Law Review 84, no. 6 (2006): 1983–2029, at 2011.

See Briffault , supra note 86, at 9.

Barron D. J. Frug G. E. , “Defensive Localism: A View of the Field from the Field,” Journal of Law and Politics 21, nos. 2–3 (2005): 261–291, at 263.

See Bluestein , supra note 87, at 1986.

Id., at 1994.

Illinois Constitution, sec. 6.

Washington State Legislature, House Bill Report: ESHB 3160 (February 19, 2008), available at <http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007–08/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/3–160-S.HBR.pdf> (last visited October 7, 2008).

SB 6659; HB 3160 (Washington 2008).

The amended King County ordinance is discussed in Part II.B. When King County amended its ordinance, it changed the date of its effect from August 1, 2008 to December 1, 2008. The ordinance now applies to chain restaurants with 15 or more locations. It originally applied to restaurants with 10 or more locations. In addition, the amended ordinance only applies to items that remain on a chain restaurant's menu for more than 90 days. The original ordinance applied to items on a chain restaurant's menu for more than 60 days. The amended ordinance does not require restaurants to provide information about trans fats. See Public Health, Seattle & King County, supra note 48.

Ohio Restaurant Association, “Ohio Blocks Local Menu Labeling Authority,” ORA News, January 4, 2008.

HB 217 (Ohio 2008).

HB 1303 (Georgia 2008).

Jones A. Lee E. , “Bill Opposing Menu Labeling Goes to Governor,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 27, 2008.

Public Law No. 101–535, 104 Stat. 2353 (1990) (codified in part at 21 U.S.C. §§ 343(i), (q) and (r)).

HR Rep. No. 101–538 (1990); reprinted in 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3337.

Although designed to benefit consumers, the Act provides no mechanism for a private cause of action against entities that sell mislabeled foods. Cohen v. McDonald's Corp., 808 N.E.2d 1, 8 (Ill.App. 2004); see generally Guarino E. T. , “Nutrient Descriptor and Disease Claims for Foods Under the New FDA and USDA Rules,” Food & Drug Law Journal 48, no. 4 (1993): 665–674.

21 U.S.C. § 343(q) (2008); 21 C.F.R. §§ 101.1–101.9 (2008).

21 U.S.C. § 343(q)(1).

21 U.S.C. § 343(q)(5).

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(4).

21 U.S.C. § 343(r)(5)

21 U.S.C. § 343(r)(1).

21 C.F.R. § 101.13(b).

21 C.F.R. §§ 101.10, 101.13, 101.54–101.65.

Public Citizen, Inc. v. Shalala , 932 F.Supp. 13, 18 (D.D.C. 1996).

Reyes v. McDonald's Corp. , 2006 WL 3253579, *4-*7 (N.D.Ill. 2006).

21 C.F.R. § 101.10.

21 U.S.C. § 343–1, note on Construction.

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(4).

136 Cong. Rec. S16607, S16608 (Oct. 24, 1990).

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(5).

See Institute of Medicine, Food Labeling: Toward National Uniformity (Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1992): At 142–143; Jordan C. , “Preemption and Uniform Enforcement of Food Marketing Regulations,” Food & Drug Law Journal 49, no. 2 (1994): 401–407, at 404.

21 U.S.C. § 343(r)(2)(B).

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(b).

21 C.F.R. §§ 101.69, 101.70 (2008).

See generally Sullivan K. M. Gunther G. , Constitutional Law, 14th ed. (New York: Foundation Press, 2001): At 119–171, 234–305.

See notes 114–120 and accompanying text.

See U.S. Food and Drug Administration, supra note 11; Koplan Liverman Kraak , supra note 2.

509 F.Supp.2d 351 (S.D.N.Y. 2007). For this case, three groups filed briefs as amici, or friends of the court, in support of the New York City Board of Health. These briefs were filed by the following: (1) U.S. Representative Henry Waxman, Public Citizen, Center for Science in the Public Interest et al.; (2) the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University; and (3) a consortium of state and local governments.

509 F.Supp.2d 351, 352–53 (S.D.N.Y. 2007).

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health , 2008 WL 1752455 (S.D.N.Y. 2008). For this case, two groups filed briefs as amici, or friends of the court, in support of the New York City Board of Health. These briefs were filed by (1) U.S. Representative Henry Waxman, Public Citizen, Center for Science in the Public Interest et al.; and (2) the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.

509 F.Supp.2d 351, 353 (S.D.N.Y. 2007).

Id., at 359.

Id., at 360.

Id., at 361, n.14 (emphasis added).

Id., at 362.

Id., at 363.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Board of Health Votes to Require Chain Restaurants to Display Calorie Information in New York City, Press Release, January 22, 2008, available at <http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2008/pr008–08.shtml> (last visited October 7, 2008).

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 2008 WL 1752455 (S.D.N.Y. 2008).

Brief for Plaintiff at 17, New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health (S.D.N.Y. January 31, 2008).

Id., at 20.

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 2008 WL 1752455, at *4.

Id., at *4.

Id., at *5.

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(5) (2008).

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(4). In April 2008, the FDA provided updated guidance that reinforces this interpretation of the NLEA. Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “A Labeling Guide for Restaurants and Other Retail Establishments Selling Away-from-Home Foods,” April 2008, available at <http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/∼dms/labrguid.html> (last visited October 7, 2008).

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 2008 WL 1752455 (S.D.N.Y. 2008); New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 509 F.Supp.2d 351 (S.D.N.Y. 2007).

See notes 114–120 and accompanying text.

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 509 F.Supp.2d 351, 360–61 (S.D.N.Y. 2007).

Brief for Plaintiff at 18, New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health (S.D.N.Y. January 31, 2008); 21 C.F.R. § 101.13(c) (2008).

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(4).

Washington Market Co. v. Hoffman , 101 U.S. 112, 116 (1879) (emphasis added).

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(4).

New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health, 2008 WL 1752455, *4-*5 (S.D.N.Y. 2008); see Mastro Plastics Corp. v. National Labor Relations Bd., 350 U.S. 270, 298 (1956).

Brief for Plaintiff at 28–38, New York State Restaurant Association v. New York City Board of Health (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 31, 2008).

U.S. Constitution, amend. XIV.

21 U.S.C. § 343–1(a)(4).

E.g., see Public Health Law & Policy, supra note 44.