Bill Summaries: H848 STUDY--CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND TOXIC CHEMICALS (NEW).

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  • Summary date: May 15 2013 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Changes the short and long titles.

    Deletes the provisions of the previous edition in their entirety and makes the following proposed changes.

    Creates the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Children's Health and Toxic Chemicals (Committee). Provides that the Committee will include ten members, five to be appointed by each legislative chamber.

    Directs the committee to study ways to protect children from the health impacts of toxic chemicals found in children's products. Specifies that the following topics must be included:

    (1) Strategies for state agencies to designate chemicals of high concern and to identify priority chemicals from within the list of chemicals of high concern.

    (2) Methods for manufacturers of children's products to provide notice when a product contains a priority chemical.

    (3) Development of alternatives assessments to identify alternatives that reduce or eliminate the use of and potential for children's exposure to chemicals of high concern.

    Directs the committee to submit an interim report to the 2014 General Assembly and a final report, including legislative recommendations, to the 2015 General Assembly.


  • Summary date: Apr 15 2013 - View Summary

    Enacts new Article 24, NC Toxic-Free Kids Act, to GS Chapter 130A to prohibit, beginning July 1, 2015, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers from manufacturing, knowingly selling, or distributing for sale or usea children's product that contains (1) Bisphenol A, (2) Phthalates at more than .10 percent by weight, or (3) TRIS in amounts greater than 50 parts per million in a component. Defines children's product, chemical, and additional terms used in the Article. Defines the term chemical of high concern and directs the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Division of Public Health (Division) in the Department of Health and Human Services to generate a list of such chemicals to be reviewed and revised every three years. Authorizes designation of priority chemicals, which are chemicals of high concern that meet one of the specified conditions, and requires DENR to publish by May 1, 2014, a list of priority chemicals in the North Carolina Register and on the DENR website. Requires a manufacturer of a children's product that contains a priority chemical to file annual notice with DENR, beginning November 1, 2014. Defines alternative as a substitute process or product that serves a functionally equivalent purpose to a chemical in a children's product. Provides that an alternatives assessment must identify alternatives that reduce or eliminate the use of and potential for exposure to the chemical and requires each assessment to include certain items and address specified requirements. Sets out a schedule, with various start dates based on the chemical, to require manufacturers to submit alternative assessments to DENR for children's products. Exempts manufacturers with annual gross sales of less than $5 million from the assessment requirement. Makes the proposed Article 24 effective December 1, 2013.

    Directs DENR and the Division to report to the General Assembly by January 1, 2016, on the required notices and alternatives assessments.

    Includesa number of "whereas" clauses setting out policy reasons in support of this legislation.