Senate Reconsiders, Passes Calorie Count Bill

A change of heart among enough of its members prompted the Senate to reconsider and then pass, by 18-16, legislation to require national chain restaurants to add calories counts to their menus, The Associated Press reports.

Senators had voted down the bill 14-19 on Monday.

Update: Sen. Frank Deem, R-Wood, triggered the second vote. "Along with Deem, three Democrats who had voted against the original measure Monday switched their votes, giving the bill enough supporters to pass the Senate," AP reports.

The Senate also amended the bill Tuesday, to exempt local and regional chains. That prompted allegations of favoritism toward "Oshel Craigo, the former Senate Finance Committee chairman who is president of Better Foods, Inc.," the article said. "That company owns the Tudor's Biscuit World and Gino's Pizza and Spaghetti House chains."

Update II: The Register-Herald of Beckley, MetroNews and The Charleston Gazette also have items. (Update III: the latter two don't quite get the exemption amendment right.)