36th District Representative Mary Lou Dickerson (D) is the primary sponsor of a bill which calls to ban the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from bottles, cups and other containers that young children drink from. It also calls for a ban of BPA from sports bottles, which pregnant women use. (Bill text here. pdf)
The state house vote was nearly-unanimous yesterday to ban the chemical, moving the bill on to the State Senate. “I’m proud we united 95 to 1 to protect babies and young children from BPA-laced food containers,” said Dickerson (D-Seattle). “The strong support for this bill reflects the overwhelming evidence that kids need to be protected against this very toxic substance.” Representative Bruce Chandler (R-Granger) was the lone nay in the House. Two representatives were excused from the vote.
After the first reading in the State Senate today, the bill has been referred to Health & Long-Term Care. If this bill passes, Washington state will be the third state to ban BPA, following Minnesota and Connecticut.
That's Mary Lou – tackling the tough issues. Sure, is a no-brainer but do we need a bill? Almost every product i see for kids under three are promoting the claim that they are BPA-free because people freaked out and weren't buying them. So now she proposes a law? We'll hear all about this we she runs again. If you want to pass something informative propose a bill that requires sings in the store telling people that most cans are lined with BPA. It's the predominent source of BPA exposure.
This reminds me of when Gregoire was talking tough about lead in baby toys – she eventually caved in and wound up with a feel good bill.
I agree with d. taylor.
I can't find any drink containers that still contain BPA. the real problem is CANS. Link to consumer reports below on this topic.
Is Mary Lou afraid of gathering opposition? I would rather see her fight on the core solutions than see a do-nothing bill fly right through.
This is a real health concern that deserves a serious solution!
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-arc…
Hey, I prefer she waste time on this rather than a state income tax….
They are getting more difficult to find in major affluent areas but they are not hard to find. The chemical industry and Wallmart stand against this bill for reasons they will not talk about in public though they have lobbied extensively against the bill. Most major baby bottle manufactures are now BPA free but it took a lot of work to get them to become that way.
It's legally IMPOSSIBLE to have a state income tax. It's in the state constitution. There was a lot of work looking into this but it would never pass.
Who was the one? And why?
Not so sure, according to what I read here: http://dor.wa.gov/Content/AboutUs/StatisticsAnd…
“In 1933, the Washington State Supreme Court overturned a graduated state income tax that had been proposed by initiative and approved by more than 70 percent of the voters. Culliton v. Chase, 174 Wash. 363, 289 P.2d 81 (1933). Many people assume
that Culliton is still good law and that Washington courts would reach a similar decision today. If that is true, a constitutional amendment would be necessary before the state could impose any income tax other than a flat tax on gross income at a rate
no more than 1 percent. However, there is ample reason to believe that a modern income tax, established by the Legislature or by the voters, would now be upheld. The basic reason is that Culliton was based on an earlier Washington case which the
State Supreme Court clearly misread. More importantly, the earlier case was based on a line of United States Supreme Court cases that have subsequently been reversed. Our Court would likely take a “clean slate” approach to the income tax today.”
I wish these health issues were tackled on the Federal level. It would be so much more efficient.
Look Mary Lou is great at this kind of symbolic s**t: BPA in plastic, toxic toys, etc. etc.
All meaningless bills, with zero effect locally, that make her look green, get all the leftists and neurotic moms excited, but accomplish diddly squat. It's hobby horse politics.
As long as she doesn't try to raise my taxes or create an income tax, which she won't, let her play with baby bottles and Thomas the Tank engine trains to her heart's content.