In case you missed it, legislation is moving ahead that would ban trans fats in bakeries and restaurants in the state of California by 2010. No state has taken that step, though some cities have.

If nothing else, AB 97 by Artesia Democratic Assemblyman Tony Mendoza provides a wonderful taste-test of the mood of the electorate. Here are some comments posted on the Sacramento Bee website:

• "Cigarettes, alcohol & firearms are okay but trans fats are out?"
• "Shouldn't they be doing something that's really worth the time, like getting a balanced budget without taking the food off my table?"
• "I can't afford to drive to work and feeding my family is going to require a second job pretty soon but hey, at least I don't have to worry about the big, bad, evil, trans fat peddling villains that are preying on my children. Next you can expect a trans fat offender registry."

Yeah, we've got a $15 billion or so budget hole to fill before all the state's cash runs out in the next few weeks, but we are forging ahead on trans fat -- and helium-filled foil balloons, did I mention them? There's another piece of legislation, from state Sen. Jack Scott, that takes aim at the 800 power outages that hit the state last year from errant balloons snagging power lines. It was front-page news on July 15 Wall Street Journal.

Apparently the 45 million balloons sold annually, and their attendant attached gifts, are a $900 million industry that forks over $80 million in taxes to the state.  Obviously there's money in Sacramento -- either in helium or hot air.