Update on Child Product Safety Law

Psalm 97

1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
4 His lightning enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
8 Zion heard, and was glad; adn the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
9 For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
10 Ye that love the3 LORD, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
11 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

The following post is the latest on the Child Product Safety Law as outlined by HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association). Looks like this law won't affect those small business owners and producers. Praise the Lord.

Commission Announces Major Changes to Child Product Safety Rules

February 9, 2009

Introduction

HSLDA met on Wednesday with Commissioner Thomas Moore, of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, to discuss the law imposing strict limitations on lead and phthalates in children’s products. The proposed regulations had persuaded many small family businesses to shut their doors and cease production. We are pleased to report that CPSC announced numerous changes to their regulations. Home School Legal Defense Association is satisfied with the meeting and its aftermath and remains strongly convinced that no small business should close down because of the lead requirements, which take effect February 10.

Changes made by the Commission

Last Friday, the CPSC declared numerous changes in their regulations, including the following exemptions that correspond with requests made by HSLDA in our meeting with Commissioner Moore:

• An exemption for certain natural materials such as wood, cotton, wool, and certain metals and alloys that rarely contain lead;
• An exemption for ordinary children's books printed after 1985;*
• An exemption for textiles, dyed or undyed (not including leather, vinyl, or PVC) and non-metallic thread and trim used in children's apparel and other fabric products, such as baby blankets.

* HSLDA asked for an exemption for all books. Commissioner Moore argues, however, that the ink in books prior to the 1980s did contain lead.¹

Prosecution under the law, the CPSC announced, will ensue only if “someone had actual knowledge that one of these children’s products contained more than 600 ppm lead or continued to make, import, distribute or sell such a product after being put on notice.”² In fact, according to Commissioner Moore, manufacturers will not be prosecuted for violating the law during the one-year postponement of testing requirements (lasting till February 10, 2010), unless their products actually cause an injury or have the potential to hurt someone.³ Moore further assured HSLDA that small businesses, in particular, will have nothing to worry about. “Historically, we haven’t gone after these kinds of businesses,” he told HSLDA, “not cottage industries.”

HSLDA hopes that these policies, along with the Commission’s yearlong postponement of testing requirements, will provide significant relief to family businesses and providers to the homeschool community.

Conclusion

“If there is one message a small manufacturer should take from the Commission’s action [of delaying testing requirements] it is this,” Commissioner Moore said: “If you have been making products without receiving any safety-related complaints, you should go on selling your products.” This will remain true for at least until February 10, 2010. Even beyond this date, HSLDA is confident of the future of small businesses under this law, and is grateful to the Commission for its cooperation and its sensitivity to the needs of family businesses.

Additional Information

CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy for New Lead Limits in Children’s Products Effective February 10

Statement of Commissioner Thomas Moore on the one-year extension of testing requirements (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Statement of Acting Chairman Nancy Nord on the one-year extension of testing requirements (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Notes

1. Thomas Moore, letter to Senators Rockefeller and Pryor, and Representatives Waxman and Rush, http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/Moore020309.pdf (February 3, 2009), p. 4

2. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy For New Lead Limits In Children’s Products Effective February 10,” http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09120.html (February 6, 2009).

3. Thomas Moore, letter to Senators Rockefeller and Pryor, and Representatives Waxman and Rush, http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/Moore020309.pdf (February 3, 2009), p. 5.

Music!

If you haven't heard of Nickel Creek...get a copy and listen to them or check them out on You tube. They are amazing musicians. Nickel Creek is one of our favorite bands and one of my favorite songs by them is "Why Should the Fire Die?" though this video isn't the best quality. I really like the version by the Grannis sisters minus the not so great fiddling. I love the blend of their voices. Towards the end their video, the Grannis sisters also sing "Bei Mir Bist du Shon" which is a song the Andrew Sisters sang. My sisters and I like the Andrew Sisters; the harmonies are complex and dead on. Kristie used to sing this particular song alot when we were younger.


Why Should the Fire Die? Nickel Creek and Cover by the Grannis sisters (including a portion of Bei Mir Bist du Shon popularly sung by the Andrew Sisters in the 40's)





For Kristie and Ann (and anyone else who cares )...The Andrew Sisters (hilarious!)



Nickel Creek playing The Smoothie Song




Waitin' by Landon Austin with Kina Grannis (a sweet song, but a bit of an intro with Kina Grannis...just pause until it loads and skip to 53 seconds into the video.)

Happy Birthday Ann(ie...just so you know who you are Ann...:P) !

Ann Facts (random; no particular order)
*she is 19 today! :D
*she has a huge heart and is exceptionally giving
*she is outspoken about her faith and love for Jesus
* she has an absolutely sunshiney (I think I created a word there) personality
*she is a wonderful auntie to her 14 nephews and nieces
*she is the youngest of five children
*she has a notable talent to play piano by ear, crochet, cook and sing (she's just notably talented...period! )
*she loves the ocean (at least in Florida thanks to the Wierzchowski's)
*one of her favorite colors is "Florida ocean" blue ;)
*she has a beagle named Daisy*she is a faithful, loving and honest friend*she loves to laugh (I love to laugh with her and Kristie. They are the best laughers ever. You just feel better when you laugh and can they get you going.)

Ann, I love you more than words cans say. You are such an encouragement and blessing to be around; you spread the love and joy of Christ all around you. I rejoice in your commitment to the Lord. You are a daughter of Zion; a gem in Christ's crown. You are your parents crowning glory and a testimony of God's faithfulness in your baptism. May each day bring you closer to Christ and to a greater understanding of His word and will as you press on in the race of the Christian faith (Eph. 3:14).
1 Peter 1 is one of the most encouraging chapters in Scripture, in my opinion. Sorry the text is weird.
Happy 19th Birthday, Nell...I love you!

1 Peter 1:2-25

		Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
		Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
		To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
		Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
		Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
		That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
		Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
		Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls.
		Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:
		Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
		Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
		Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
		As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
		But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
		Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
		And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:
		Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers;
		But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
		Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
		Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
		Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently:
		Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
		For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
		But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Help Save Handmade Products for Children

The Congress just passed a law that will go into effect in Feb. called the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) that will literally shut down a whole industry in our country that produces handmade clothing and toys for children. The concerns are good, but the method is extreme and unnecessary. Please check out this link and help save small businesses!

http://coolmompicks.com/savehandmade/

(Picture borrowed from www.scarletstitch.com . My sister-in-law is the photographer for this site and her sisters are the owners.)