We are the authors of a trans fat ban in California public schools. We are perplexed that our ban was included in a set of bills described disparagingly as "nanny" bills by The Times. The legislation has at least two critical distinctions:

•  Children have virtually no choice when it comes to the food they are served in public schools.

•  The government is responsible for the health, welfare and safety of the children at school.

The government is solely responsible for ensuring that school-provided meals are healthy and nutritious. The scientific evidence is conclusive: trans fat kills. We also have an epidemic of unhealthy children. Banning trans fat from our public school campuses is not only the government's responsibility, it is a moral imperative.

ASSEMBLYMAN TED W. LIEU
(D-Torrance)

ASSEMBLYMAN JARED HUFFMAN
(D-San Rafael)