Both 36th District Representatives Mary Lou Dickerson (D-Seattle) and Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) have seen success for bills that they’re sponsoring during this legislative session.
Rep. Dickerson has been working to ban the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles, sippy cups and other food and beverage containers used by children under the age of three and on Wednesday, that ban moved one step closer. The House voted 96-1 on Wednesday to approve SB 6248 with an amendment that adds the ban of BPA on sports water bottles, which pregnant women use. “This is a huge victory for children’s health and for parents. Dangerous chemicals like BPA have no place in baby bottles, sippy cups or any product children put in their mouths,” said State Rep. Dickerson, the prime sponsor of the house version of the legislation. “Parents can soon go to the store with confidence and buy a bottle for their baby that won’t contain BPA.”
Rep. Carlyle has been advocating for tougher laws for drivers using cell phones. On Wednesday, the House passed a bill which would make it a primary offense to text and drive. It also prohibits teenagers from using a cell phone when behind the wheel. “I’m disappointed we had to accept a Republican amendment to take out the provision making speaking without a headset a primary offense. We just did not have the votes to push it through without any of their votes. Still, I’m pleased that we moved forward,” Rep. Carlyle wrote on his blog. Here is more info on this bill from our news partners The Seattle Times.
Both bills must pass the Senate with the same wording the House passed before moving to Governor Gregoire’s desk.
I really hate politicians. The bill to make texting while driving illegal is just what these politicians do to look like they're doing something important. There's no way a police officer will be able to tell if someone is texting while driving or dialing a phone number so he will have no grounds to pull anyone over.
Also, the officer will have to judge the age of the driver to enforce the cell phone ban for intermediate driver's liscense holders. Basically, nothing will change if this bill becomes law but you can guarantee that these worthless busy-bodies in the state congress will be patting each other on the back.
yep, just wasting time, while the real serious issues sit and fester. You know, the issues that make or break a true leader, like, we're f'ing broke, and they just keep spending more money? What's going to happen when the bail-outs stop?
Do you realize how screwed we are?
People will REALLY be suffering then, a-holes.
Too bad you aren't capable of making the hard decisions NOW, when the suffering could be mitigated.
Pathetic, to the greatest degree possible.
The wailing and gnashing of teeth will be unbearable and unavoidable now.
Thanks for pushing this state to the very edge of reason, well done.
Glad to see our officials taking such bold positions on such tough issues!
Yay for Rep Dickerson for proposing bills that help protect our kids. Rep Carlyle we need to talk. You will not be getting my vote next time.
That bill should be federal, FDA or CPSA. “Parents can soon go to the store with confidence and buy a bottle for their baby that won’t contain BPA.” Interesting statement, given that we have no-where near the resources to enforce all of the retail locations involved, every dollar store that gets cheap product from all over the globe, and suppliers in this country that are selling a product STILL LEGAL to ship and receive nationally.
It's on par as ridiculous as the other law, has the same potential of impact, which is too small to warrant the ink these bills are printed with.
I buy everything online, out of state to avoid sales tax, so tis bill is meaningless to me too.
Didn't Mary Lou laos pass the Chinese-toys=-will-kill-you law that was so toothless as to be meaningless?
That's 2-2 for Mary Lou!
Hey!! don't forget our Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles. She sponsered SB6250, a bill that creates a state income tax. I guess once I-960 is out of the way, there is no holding back.
Need to ban soy drinks next! Soy is a very strong estrogen mimicker along with raspberries. On the issue of texting while driving and teens on the phone…..good luck with that! Feels good controlling, but will have zero impact! “I was not texting……just looking at the gps”
Why? Do you want people to be able to text while driving?
I've got an idea. Let's see how the texting law is enforced for a while, judge for ourselves whether it's been effective, and /then/ start griping and moaning.
Just a thought.
Her bill isn't going to do squat. It's a feel good bill so she can say “Look what I've done” at re-election time. Most sellers have refused to carry BPA products because people weren't buying them. That's the reason manufacturers changed how they were made. Why didn't she include BPA lined food cans? Well, that's because the baby angle is a sure winner.
The BPA ban is the biggest waste of paper. Legislators should be embarrassed about the dead trees it took to pass this. I have looked at all the BPA studies and they in no way suggest some sort of harm. It's ridiculous. What's to replace it, who knows?
You've looked at all the BPA studies? Really? All of them? In what capacity? As a lobbyist for the plastics and chemical industry?