JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A new law in the most obese state in the nation says Mississippi cities and counties can't ban the Big Gulp or put other local regulations on food and drink.
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed Senate Bill 2687 Monday, and it became law immediately.
Bryant, a runner, says it's up to individuals - not the government - to make responsible choices about healthful living.
Some legislators called it an "anti-Bloomberg" bill, after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who tried to ban the sale of super-sized soft drinks. A New York judge blocked the city's effort last week, and Bloomberg called the Mississippi bill "ridiculous."
The Mississippi law says local governments can't require restaurants to list calorie counts on menus or ban plastic toys in kids' meals.
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