HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1365

As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to recalled infant and child products.

Brief Description:  Requiring the department of health to publicize a list of recalled infant and child products.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Doumit, Pflug, Tokuda, Boldt, Pennington, Rockefeller, Hatfield, Eickmeyer, Campbell, Edwards, Cairnes, Murray, Cody, Jackley, Mastin, Kirby, Buck, Kessler, Chopp, McIntire, Grant, Morris, Lisk, Ruderman, Van Luven, Kenney, Conway, Kagi and Schual‑Berke).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  2/1/01, 2/22/01 [DPS];

Appropriations:  2/28/01, 3/7/01 [DPS(CFS)].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/14/01, 98-0.

Senate Amended.

Passed Senate: 4/6/01, 46-0.

House Concurred.

Passed House: 4/16/01, 93-0.

Passed Legislature.

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$The Department of Health is authorized to implement a safety campaign to promote awareness of products designed to be used by infants and children, excluding toys.

$The Department of Health is authorized to implement a safety campaign to promote awareness of products designed to be used by infants and children, excluding toys.

$The campaign must focus on products that have been recalled by the United States consumer Products Safety Commission, or do not meet federal safety regulations and voluntary safety standards, or are illegal to place into the stream of commerce under the state=s Infant Crib Safety Act.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 10 members: Representatives Boldt, Republican Co‑Chair; Tokuda, Democratic Co‑Chair; Kagi, Democratic Vice Chair; Morell, Republican Vice Chair; Ballasiotes, Campbell, Darneille, Dickerson, Miloscia and Pflug.

Staff:  Deborah Frazier (786‑7152).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: The substitute bill by Committee on Children and Family Services be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 31 members: Representatives Sehlin, Republican Co‑Chair; H. Sommers, Democratic Co‑Chair; Barlean, Republican Vice Chair; Doumit, Democratic Vice Chair; Lisk, Republican Vice Chair; Alexander, Boldt, Buck, Clements, Cody, Cox, Dunshee, Fromhold, Gombosky, Grant, Kagi, Keiser, Kenney, Kessler, Lambert, Linville, Mastin, McIntire, Mulliken, Pearson, Pflug, Ruderman, D. Schmidt, Schual‑Berke, Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Amy Hanson (786‑7118).

Background:

The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission maintains an Internet website listing all recalled products.  Included on the website is a category for infant and child products.

The Department of Health has one staff person who is designated by the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission as their state contact.  The agency and the local health jurisdictions receive press releases from the commission related to recalls and recommended product modifications.    

The Washington State Library maintains a website for consumers that provides search capability of over 70 recommended consumer protection sites.  The site also highlights specific product recalls.  The website is sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General, Department of Ecology, Department of Social and Health Services, Liquor Control Board, North Central Educational Service  District, Office of the Governor and the Utilities and Transportation Commission.

Summary:

The Department of Health may develop and maintain a product safety education campaign. The campaign must focus on unsafe infant and child products (excluding toys) that have been recalled by the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission, or do not meet federal safety regulations and voluntary safety standards, or are illegal to place into the stream of commerce under the Infant Crib Safety Act, Chapter 70.111 RCW.

The target population for the campaign includes parents, foster parents, and other caregivers,

child care workers, resale stores, and charities and government entities serving children and

families.

The DOH must coordinate any campaign with other child-serving entities such as pediatricians and obstetricians and relevant manufacturers, and with other agencies, to avoid duplication of effort. DOH may receive funding from private and government sources to implement the program..

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Children & Family Services) My child would be alive today if I'd had access to this information.  We want to prevent anyone else going through this.  We want to get the information out so that people know how to find our about these products.

Testimony For:  (Appropriations) There are thousands of products that have been recalled by the manufacturer.  Parents are not always aware of such recalls.  The bill does not create a new program, but promotes greater awareness so that parents know how to access information on recalled products.

Testimony Against:  (Children & Family Services) None.

Testimony Against:  (Appropriations) None.

Testified:  (Children & Family Services) Representative Doumit, co-prime sponsor; Representative Pflug, co-prime sponsor; Andrea Brandt-Amor; Cynthia Faubion; and Raedyn Grasseth.

(Comments) Victor Colman, State Department of Health.

Testified:  (Appropriations) Representative Pflug, co-prime sponsor; and Representative Doumit, co-prime sponsor.