Rell issues seven vetoes

North Haven (WTNH) - Gov. Jodi Rell used her veto pen seven times to reject bills passed by the General Assembly, including one that would have required chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus.

It's unclear if any of the vetoes will come up for an override vote in the Democratic controlled general assembly.

Gov. Rell says no one should be surprised that a vegetable salad is healthier and more nutritious than a bacon cheeseburger. The bill she rejected, Senate Bill 1080, would have required chain restaurants to post calorie counts next to food items.

"There has been a growing and troubling tendency by some to legislate nearly every aspect of our lives and society, including personal responsibility," the governor said in a statement released by her office. "Such legislation always comes at a cost to the taxpayer and to individual freedom."

Many restaurants claimed it would cost too much money, and without a uniform law nationwide many have just decided to hand out brochures in their stores.

Rell also vetoed:

• House Bill 5021, A bill requiring health insurance companies to cover various medical treatments and procedures, including hearing aids for children, bone marrow testing,
• House Bill 6684, A bill to create a new subcommittee to monitor inmate assaults on corrections officers.
• Senate Bill 1078, a bill to establish a bi-state commission with New York to review environmental and energy issues facing Long Island Sound
• House Bill 6502, which would have allowed private contractors, whose employees work in state buildings, to pass along increased costs to the state based on private sector union contracts.
• Senate Bill 1068, which would have required the Department of Economic and Community Development to apply for federal stimulus funds to create green jobs, promote green energy, etc.
• House Bill 6649, mandating some changes in activities at the Department of Transportation, including erecting new signs to name roads, bridges and overpasses. Gov. Rell said nothing in the bill was critical to the DOT's daily operations.

If lawmakers try to over ride any of the vetoes they would need a two-thirds majority.