On May 7, 2013 California’s Governor Jerry Brown announced in a press release that he intends to change Proposition 65, a landmark consumer-safety law that forces manufacturers to declare hazardous substances on their products. The proposal would allow higher levels of EDCs to be present in products without requiring warnings. Further, it would limit plaintiff attorney’s fees and require more evidence before commencing litigation. The proposal will have to be approved by California’s legislature.
Governor Brown claims that proposition 65 has been misused by lawyers for profitable settlements. Company lawyers commented that the changes would be a big benefit to Californian companies. Only recently, the California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment placed bisphenol A (BPA) on the proposition 65 list of hazardous substances, before the placing was stopped by a Californian court. A final judgment by the Sacramento County Superior Court in the case American Chemistry Council (ACC) vs. California State is awaited.
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