Legislative Priorities 2007 - 2008
Top Legislative Priority: The Safer Alternatives Bill
S-2481 - An Act Providing for Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals
Sponsors: Representative Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington), Senator Steven Tolman (D-Brighton)
The Safer Alternatives Bill will establish a pragmatic, gradual approach to reducing health impacts from many toxic chemicals we are exposed to in everyday life.
This approach targets the worst toxic chemicals in Massachusetts—chemicals that are currently replaceable with safer alternatives for many uses.
The bill mandates a careful process to evaluate alternatives and replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives where feasible. It also stimulates research and development on new technologies and solutions when a safer option is not currently workable. For workers and businesses, it proposes programs to assist in the transition, funded through a fee on toxic chemicals.
When the bill was filed in January of 2007, for its 3rd session, it was co-sponsored by 30 out of 40 Senators and 84 out of 160 Representatives, a strong start! On January 29th, 2008 it passed the State Senate unanimously, having previously been given favorable reports by the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
Unfortunately, the bill was never taken up by the House of Representatives in the 2007-2008 session. When the session ended the bill was still in the House Committee on Ways and Means.
A more detailed account of the bill's history is available on the Legislative Timeline page.
Links
Co-sponsors of the Safer Alternatives Bill
House sign on letter in support of the Safer Alternatives bill - June, 2008
Text of the bill as Passed by the Senate
Fact Sheet on the Safer Alternatives Bill (pdf)
Safe Products Made Safely Ten Fact Sheets on issues related to the Safer Alternatives Bill
Legislative Timeline
The Safe Cleaning Products Bill: H-2246 - An Act to Require Environmentally Safe Alternatives to Harmful Cleaning Products and S-2204 - An Act to Reduce Asthma and Other Health Threats from Cleaning Products Used in Schools, Hospitals and Public Housing
Sponsors: Representative Frank Smizik (D-Brookline), Senator Dianne Wilkerson (D-Boston)
Toxic cleaning chemicals threaten the health of the workers who use them and the children and adults who live or work in the buildings where they are used. Cleaning chemicals have been linked to asthma, certain types of cancers, reproductive problems, stillbirths, and birth defects. The Safe Cleaning Products bill would reduce asthma and other health threats by requiring that only cleaning products approved by the Department of Public Health be used in public schools, hospitals, health care facilities, day care centers and public housing common spaces.The Safe Cleaning Products bill was reintroduced for the third session in January 2007 with 6 Senators and 32 Representatives co-sponsoring. It passed through the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing but ended the 2007-2008 legislative session in the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Links
Co-sponsors of the Safe Cleaning Products bill
Bill text: H-2246 & S-2204
Legislative Timeline
The Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow is a coalition of health, environmental, labor, scientific, faith, and community groups that have come together to call for laws and policies that prevent harm to human health and the environment from toxic chemicals. Some member groups of the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow are unable to endorse legislation due to their 501(c)3 tax status.
