LANSING – With the holiday shopping season gearing up, State Representative Barb Byrum
(D-Onondaga) is renewing her call for the Republican-led Senate to put aside partisan politics for the sake of our children's safety and take up legislation that would ban toys with dangerous levels of lead from being sold in Michigan.
"In June – five months ago – my colleagues and I passed a plan to protect Michigan's children by tackling lead poisoning, and the Senate has refused to take action on it," Byrum said. "Since our plan passed, millions more toys that put our children at risk of lead poisoning have been recalled. How many more millions of toys will be recalled before Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop puts aside partisan politics long enough to take up our child safety plan? I urge parents across Michigan to contact Senator Bishop and tell him what they think of his priorities."
In June, the House passed a plan that would virtually eliminate the amount of lead found in toys. The three-bill package limits the amount of lead in children's toys sold in Michigan to 0.06 percent. Currently, there are no state laws in Michigan or federal laws that regulate the amount of lead in children's products. The plan establishes civil fines for those who violate these limits, starting with $100 per item. Beginning with the third offense, the fine would be $1,000 per item, up to $50,000. The plan also strictly limits the amount of lead in children's jewelry and lunch boxes.
Recalls announced in 2007 include Fisher-Price brand toys featuring characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Dora the Explorer; "Sarge" products from the Pixar movie "Cars"; GeoTrax components; Barbie accessories; and Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway toys and parts.
"Wave after wave of massive toy recalls have taken place around the country since the House took action, and yet the Republican-led Senate refuses to lift a finger to protect Michigan's children," Byrum said. "It's unconscionable that the Senate has stalled for so long on this issue. This holiday season, parents should be able to go to Michigan stores with the confidence that the toys sitting on those shelves are safe for their kids. My colleagues in the House and I urge the Senate to join us in protecting our children by taking a stand on this potentially life-saving issue and passing our plan."