Important Legislation
 


Children’s Health and Environment

Legislation is an important tool for improving environmental health nationwide. Below is a list of important legislation and bills that we are tracking as well as links to some model legislation.





"Kid-Safe Chemicals Act" Senate Bill 
Reintroduced as "Safe Chemicals Act of 2010"

April 15, 2010
- Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ) reintroduced his bill in the Senate on the same day (April 15) that the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a “discussion draft” of its parallel legislation. Rep. Bobby Rush (Ill.), along with Rep. Henry A. Waxman (Calif), chairman of the committee, and Rep. Ed Markey (Mass), chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, plan to hold a series of meetings with key interest groups in the coming weeks as they write the final language for a House version of the bill.

June 10, 2010  - The Senate bill was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works in April.  The House bill has not yet been introduced.

Safe Chemicals Act of 2010  Bill S. 3209
Senate bill status in Thomas.gov

Passage of The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 may be
one of the most  important legislative actions this year
and is a major priority for the Center.


Contact your Senator  Contact your Representative



"Combating Autism Act" - Funding Update
February 2010: President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal included $211 million for the Combating Autism Act (CAA). Signed into law by President Bush in 2006, the CAA authorized $920 million in federal funding over five years for awareness, early identification, biomedical and environmental research and surveillance. 

 
The Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act of 2009 (S.2828 / H.R.4190) 
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct a research program on endocrine disruption, to prevent and reduce the production of, and exposure to, chemicals that can undermine the development of children before they are born and cause lifelong impairment to their health and function, and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Rep. James Moran (D-VA), December 2009.
 
The Household Product Labeling Act of 2009 (S.1697 / H.R.3057)
A bill to require that household cleaning products and similar products bear labels that state completely and accurately all of the ingredients of such products, and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY2).
Overview
 
Fracturing Responsibilities and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act (S.1215 / H.R.2766)
A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to repeal a certain exemption for hydraulic fracturing, and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO).
Overview

For additional information on Federal legislation, see below.



State Legislation

Green Cleaning Legislation


Efforts by Deirdre Imus and The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center have helped usher in “Green Cleaning” Executive Orders from the governors of three states -- New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  Leading by example, the Environmental Center’s award-winning Greening the Cleaning® program eliminates, to the greatest extent possible, all cleaning agents containing hazardous ingredients and replaces them with naturally derived ingredients with the least level of toxicity. Since its inception in 2001, the institutional Greening the Cleaning® program has been implemented by healthcare facilities, government authorities, businesses and schools, with direct savings in cleaning costs ranging from budget neutral to 75 percent. 



States with green cleaning legislation now include:
New York, Connecticut, Nevada, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Maine and Hawaii.

New York State mandates that schools purchase green cleaning products under Public Law 409I, and that agencies purchase from preferred vendors under State Finance Law 162.

Other states that have recently introduced green cleaning legislation include:  New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Iowa, Rhode Island and Vermont.



New Jersey

Search on Bills by Keyword
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillsByKeyword.asp


"Green Cleaning" Policy for Schools (A1848): New bill number
June 15, 2009 - A bill that would require the Department of Education to adopt green cleaning policy for schools and child care centers with 50 or more students is now under consideration in the NJ State House.  Originally introduced as Assembly bill A4087 by NJ Assemblyman Reed Gusciora.
Bill Text

Expanded Autism Services
Feb. 25, 2008 -A six-bill package of proposals aimed at expanding autism services in New Jersey passed through the Assembly health committee. The package would require health insurance coverage of therapies for those on the autism spectrum, create the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Autism in the Department of the Public Advocate, establish an state-sponsored autism Web site, create voluntary identification cards for autistics, allow guardians to have better choice in what support services are given to those with autism and urge the state Board of Education to create a student peer program for students with autism. The bill is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., D-Camden.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/NEWS/80225058/1001/rss
(Asbury Park Press online)
 
Vaccine Mandates
In December 2007, New Jersey became the first state to approve vaccine mandates. “The Governor’s Public Health Council, made a very, very bad mistake by mandating these vaccines,” said Deirdre Imus. “New Jersey will be the first state in the entire world to require annual flu shots for children in preschool and day care facilities. Ninety percent of the influenza vaccine supply still contains thimerosal, a potent developmental neurotoxin.”   Ms. Imus calls on the public to help repeal the measure. more...
(List of Organizations Opposed to this Measure)

In 2008, New Jersey became the first and only state in the nation to mandate an annual flu shot for all children ages 6 months through 59 months (or 4 years, 11 months) attending a licensed preschool or daycare center. Now new legislation is on the table to provide for exemptions to mandatory legislation. 


 Mercury-Free Vaccine Bill (A115 / S649): New bill numbers
January 8, 2008 --Eliminates use of vaccines containing mercury over three years. Introduced by Members Perter Biondi and Linda Stender and referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp

Mercury-Free Vaccine Legislation in Other States
States that already signed mercury-free such legislation into law include:
California, Delaware, Iowa, Missouri, New York and Washington.

NEW YORK STATE A3064 prohibits schools from questioning a parent's religious objection to vaccines. It is intended to protect parents from inappropriate and intrusive inquiry into their religious beliefs by government authorities.
Link:  http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A3064

NEW YORK STATE A3180 ensures if a doctor writes a note stating a child should not get shots, s/he doesn't.  Doctor's orders would prevail.  The bill states that the professional judgment of a student`s physician, physician`s assistant or nurse practitioner will prevail concerning immunization of the student.
Link: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A3180


Conscientious Exemption to Mandatory Immunizations
(A243 / S1089)

January 1, 2008 -- Introduced by New Jersey members Vandrvalk, Biondi, Schaer, Diegnan, Bramnick and referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee

Summary: This bill provides for conscientious exemption to mandatory immunizations. "Conscientious exemption" means an exemption from a mandatory immunization on the grounds of a sincerely held or moral objection to the immunization. "Mandatory immunization" means any vaccination required by the State as a condition for attendance at public or private institutions of higher education, public or private school, kindergarten, nursery school, preschool or child care facilities in New Jersey.
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp


Green Building Standards (A1258)
Requires projects with State or Local financing to be built to high performance green standards and provides for performance review and annual report.
Introduced by Member Linda Stender. Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp

Insect and Pest Management (IPM) Policy

Model School IPM Plan and Policy
NJ School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program (model legislation)


Click here for current status of bills in New Jersey.
(See "Bills" on the left side of the link page.)




Federal
Legislation

Click here to search for current status
on federal bills by number.

Contact your Representative
Contact your Senator

Superfund Polluter Pays Act
Show support for cleaning up Superfund sites by calling and urging your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Superfund Polluter Pays Act (H.R. 832). The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code by reinstating the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate and the corporate environmental income tax until January 1, 2019.  It was introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone of NJ in February 2009 and was referred to the House Ways & Means Committee.
Bill Text

Baby Safe Products Act
April 29, 2009 -- This Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study the presence of contaminants and impurities in cosmetics and personal care products marketed to and used by children.  The bill was introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Bill Text

Comprehensive Comparative Study of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Populations of 2009  (H.R.3069) 
June 26, 2009 -- Introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee.  A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct or support a comprehensive study comparing total health outcomes, including risk of autism, in vaccinated population in the United States with such outcomes in unvaccinated population in the United States, and for other purposes.

BPA-Free Kids Act of 2009 (S. 753)
March 31, 2009 -- Introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
The bill would prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution in commerce of children’s food and beverage containers composed of bisphenol A, and for other purposes.

The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008 (HR 1553)  

Thank You for Your Support!    
Deirdre Imus Praises Lawmakers for Additional Funding to Fight Childhood Cancer
(Environmental Center press release) 
July 29, 2008:  Signed into law by President Bush. The Act provides $30 million per year through 2012 to expand childhood cancer research, create a national database to evaluate cancer trends and provide resources to patients and families affected by childhood cancer. Specifically, the legislation will allocate $30 million to:
  1. Provide funding for critical biomedical research programs aimed at preventing and curing childhood cancer and improving the lives of children with pediatric cancers,
  2. Support a national childhood cancer database to monitor the incidence of pediatric cancers, identify cancer causes and aid in the development of prevention strategies and cures,
  3. Foster clinical and translational research for pediatric oncologists especially in the early stages of their career development,
  4. Provide informational and educational services to patients and families affected by childhood cancer to help ensure access to the best available therapies for pediatric cancers.


The National Children's Study

October 2009:
An Update on the Status of the National Children’s Study from the Acting Director
   

National Children's Study Enters Next Phase
The National Children's Study will examine the effect of genes and the environment on children’s health. The comprehensive National Institutes of health study will follow a representative national sample of 100,000 children from before birth to age 21, and investigate factors influencing the development of such conditions as autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, birth defects, diabetes, asthma, and obesity.

October 6, 2008: The National Institutes of Health named the 27 study centers that will be funded in 2008, which will manage 39 locations in the study. That brings the total of new and existing study centers to 36, covering a total of 72 study locations. The study centers will recruit from the study locations — counties and other geographic demarcations preselected by study scientists to be representative of the United States. The large size of the study requires that it be carried out in stages. When it is fully operational, the study is expected to have approximately 40 study centers recruiting volunteers from the planned 105 study locations throughout the United States.

National Children's Study (website)


Legislation in Other States

Search tool for state and local legislation:
www.statelocalgov.net/


New York State

Search for any New York legislation
Assembly bill search  http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/
Senate bill search  http://www.nysenate.gov/openleg
 

Autism Insurance (S6123 / A6888B)
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to requiring health insurance coverage of the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
http://open.nysenate.gov/openleg/bill/S6123
 
BPA (S3296G / A9867A)
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation laws, in relation to prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and sale of child pacifiers and beverage containers containing bisphenol A   http://open.nysenate.gov/openleg/bill/A9867A  
 
Toxic Fracturing (A6953)
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the use of certain fracing solutions.
http://open.nysenate.gov/openleg/bill/A6953


Vaccine Assembly Bills

A3064 prohibits schools from questioning a parent's religious objection to vaccines. It is intended to protect parents from inappropriate and intrusive inquiry into their religious beliefs by government authorities.
Link:  http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A3064

A3180 ensures if a doctor writes a note stating a child should not get shots, s/he doesn't.  Doctor's orders would prevail.  The bill states that the professional judgment of a student`s physician, physician`s assistant or nurse practitioner will prevail concerning immunization of the student.
Link: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A3180


California

Click here for current status of children's environmental health bills in California.

Updated 2-22-2010