Civitas Review » Nanny State

Tan Ban

Brian Balfour — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:14:37 +0000

The beginning of another week brings another installment of the Civitas Institute’s “Bad Bill of the Week.” This week’s bill features an act of nanny state overreach. Here is a sample:

This week’s “Bad Bill of the Week” is HB 18. Known as the Youth Skin Cancer Prevention Act, HB 18 would ban all North Carolinians under the age of 18 from indoor tanning. Though similar legislation has been tried before, this incarnation of the bill is sponsored by Representatives Mark Hollo (R-Alexander), Jim Fulghum M.D. (R-Wake), D. Craig Horn (R-Union), and Tom Murry (R-Wake).

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Would the Youth Skin Cancer Prevention Act really prevent youth skin cancer at all if it only encouraged teens to get tanned/sunburned outside? Probably not. What’s next? Criminalizing sunburns? Age requirements to legally tan by the pool in your backyard? The General Assembly should just leave the parenting to the parents.

Check out the full article here.

NOTE: HB 18 was changed from its original form (requiring a prescription for minors to access indoor tanning) to a complete indoor tanning ban for minors in a committee hearing Feb. 26. This post and the full article have been updated to reflect that.

Chik-Fil-A Day in North Carolina

Matt Willoughby — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:11:59 +0000

Supporters crowded into Chik-Fil-A stores across North Carolina for their appreciation day.

Click on the video report…

Interns Alex Rector and Niko Kikas contributed to this story.

State Official: Hoke County Schools Won’t Cooperate in “Chicken Nuggets” Probe

Matt Willoughby — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:48:42 +0000

The director of the state Division of Childhood Development and Early Education was asked to tell a legislative panel just what happened at West Hoke Elementary School when, as explained in a previous Civitas article, students were forced to eat school food though they had homemade lunches. Dr. Deborah Cassidy repeated the assertion no state official was involved when the students were given a full tray of cafeteria food. Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services co-chair Rep. Justin Burr (R-Stanly) asked Cassidy if the state had tried to ask local school officials about the incident since the division enforces nutrition rules. Dr. Cassidy said the school principal won’t return her phone calls. Burr was surprised.

One of the students had a homemade lunch with a turkey and cheese sandwich but ate a few chicken nuggets from the school cafeteria instead after she was told her bag lunch didn’t meet standards. Dr. Cassidy was caught off guard when the other committee co-chair Sen. Louis Pate (R-Wayne) asked about that.

Lawmakers are working on legislation that would allow parents to decide what their children should eat at school. Current regulations allow exceptions only for ethnic, cultural or religious reasons.

NC Child Care Commission Hears Concerns About Nutrition Rules

Matt Willoughby — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:24:08 +0000

The NC Child Care Commission held a public hearing in Raleigh on proposed changes to nutrition rules for child care facilities. A previous article detailed the proposals. But of particular concern for some parents was the fact the Child Care Commission deleted an exception to the nutrition standards for parents who wished to have a say in what their children would eat and drink at a child care facility. The General Assembly required the commission to consider such a “personal preference” but the panel decided to drop it. While a couple of child care consultants said the proposed rules are necessary other people didn’t see it that way. Susan Robbins was one of the concerned citizens who argued no one in government had the right to overrule parents on nutrition.

Dr. Scott Sweeney of Monroe said he had nine other people ready to object to the proposed rules changes and send the issue to the General Assembly for a hearing. Once the Child Care Commission makes its final decision on the rules it goes to the Rules Review Commission in the Office of Administrative Hearings. When that panel makes its decision if at least 10 people object to a rule then the rule is subject to a legislative hearing.

The Child Care Commission chair said the public comments would be considered during its meeting May 8.

Child Care Commission Changing Location for Public Hearing on pre-K Rules

Matt Willoughby — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:48:43 +0000

The state commission holding a public hearing February 28 on changes to child care rules, including nutrition standards has been forced to change locations. The Child Care Commission apparently expects a large crowd because of the story on the lunch box searches in Hoke County. The new location on Tuesday is the auditorium in the State Library in Raleigh at 109 East Jones St. at 1:30 p.m. The commission will have meeting at 9:00 a.m. followed by the public hearing.