BPA Bills on the Move in Key States

Our Mission: We ignite the movement that empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals. Donate »

Blog

Healthy Child

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Bills that would ban bisphenol A from children’s products are scheduled to make their way through key committees and legislative bodies during the next week. Although Suffolk County, New York passed its ban on BPA in baby bottles earlier in April, no state government has yet passed BPA legislation.

Swarms of plastics industry and chemical lobbyists have descended on states with BPA legislation and are investing untold thousands of dollars and using their considerable political muscle to defeat the bills.

Environmental health advocates are looking for help to pass their legislation to eliminate the toxic chemical from baby bottles, sippy cups and even infant formula cans.

Minnesota’s BPA ban, which will prohibit BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups, passed the Senate on April 28 with a bipartisan vote of 54-11. A vote in the House could come as early as Wednesday, April 29 or Thursday, April 30.

Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty, who vetoed chemical reform legislation last year, has sent signals that he will sign the bill if it passes the legislature. (He must have come to regret his veto of that legislation, which was accompanied by an error-riddled press release based on talking points from the chemical industry.) But after the bill sailed through the Senate, the Governor’s office did some backpedaling on its support.

Advocates at Healthy Legacy are asking people to call Governor Pawlenty to let him know you support BPA-free baby bottles at (800) 657-3717.
Legislation in Connecticut that would ban BPA from food and beverage containers – including infant formula cans – is up for a vote in the House on Wednesday, April 29. Connecticut is the only state that has a provision to eliminate BPA from cans.

The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut is asking that people make calls to legislators to urge them to support the bill.

California’s BPA ban is up for a vote on Wednesday, April 29 in the State Senate Health Committee, according to the CHANGE California coalition.

And The JustGreen Partnership reports that New York State’s BPA bill is headed for a vote in the Assembly on Tuesday, May 5.

JustGreen is asking those in New York State to phone their representatives and ask them to support the bill. Call (518) 455-4100.

Stay tuned to SaferStates.org for updates on these important bills.

The BPA ban bill in Washington State failed to make it out of the Senate on Sunday, April 26, the last day of the regular legislative session. Environmental health advocates at the Washington Toxics Coalition noted with alarm that Wal-Mart, which has received public kudos for voluntarily pulling BPA baby bottles from its shelves, supported amendments to the bill that would have weakened provisions to keep BPA out of baby bottles.

Attention Wal-Mart: you’ve got some explaining to do.