March 7, 2008

Last night the Senate passed the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, a very strong toy safety bill, by a vote of 79-13. The bill now has to be reconciled with the weaker House bill, which passed unanimously in December. You can count on us to work to make sure the best parts of both bills are incorporated into the final version.

Generally, both bills will lower the limit of lead in toys, increase the budget and staff of the CPSC, and grant it authority to issue rules and penalize companies even when it lacks a quorum on the three-member commission as it did this year. The Senate bill will also create a public database of complaints, allow state attorneys general to act if they don't think the federal government is doing enough, increase the maximum penalty for violations from $1.25 to $20 million, and make it a crime for a company to sell a product that has been recalled.
    -For U.S. PIRG Consumer Program Director Ed Mierzwinski's analysis, click here.
    -To read the Wall Street Journal article, click here.

News you don't want to toy with...

Maryland House votes to curb lead in products
Maryland would hire inspectors to enforce a ban on manufacturing, selling, importing or distributing toys and other children's products containing dangerous levels of lead under legislation that passed overwhelmingly yesterday in the House of Delegates.

Florida Legislature considers Children's Toy Safety Act
The Florida Legislature also wants to do its part to keep dangerous toys off store shelves. A bill in that state would require any toy manufacturer wishing to sell its products in Florida to complete independent, third-party testing to certify that its toys comply with standards set by the CPSC.

Time is running out for Washington State's toy-safety bill
After Washington State's Children's Safe Product Act passed 95-0 in the Statehouse last month, it has stalled in the Senate. This bill would give Washington the nations' strongest toy standards for lead, cadmium and phthalates.

Anxious parents go organic, at a cost
After all the recalls of lead-tainted toys last year, parents are choosing to err on the side of caution, even if it means paying more.

CPSC announces recall of toy similar to one in U.S. PIRG's "Trouble in Toyland" report
The CPSC recalled the Godry/Family Dollar FUN 'N SAFE Magnetic Dart Board set, but has not yet announced action on the Gordy/family Dollar "Fun 'N' Games Magnetic Dart Board," which was identified in our report.

Baby safety from the ground up
The CPSC issues its recommendations for baby safety.