Vermont Senate OKs Chemicals Bill

On May 5, 2014, the Vermont Senate gave final approval to a bill that would ramp up regulatory scrutiny of the chemicals found in children's products.  The bill, S.239, gives the Vermont Department of Health the authority to require manufacturers to report, label, and remove chemicals it considers harmful from products for children.  Until now, the Legislature has had the sole authority to regulate or ban specific chemicals.  This bill transfers full regulatory authority to the Department of Health.

In an April 29, 2014 vote, the Vermont House had significantly limited the scope of the bill previously approved by the Senate from all consumer products to only products for children 12 and under.  In its May 5th vote, the Senate re-amended the bill to expand this definition to include products that children 12 and under are likely to come into contact with.