Bill Text: NJ AJR53 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates November of each year as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-21 - Substituted by SJR40 [AJR53 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AJR53-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Designates November of each year as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating November of each year as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month" in New Jersey.
Whereas, Research shows that play is a crucial component of children's development; among other benefits play encourages creativity, improves coordination and strength, allows children to engage with one another, and provides an outlet for emotional expression; and
Whereas, It is the duty and responsibility of product manufacturers, parents, and federal and state governments to ensure that the toys children play with and other products used by children are safe and encourage well-being and healthy development; and
Whereas, In many instances, however, parents have found it difficult to access timely and accurate information about the safety of products used by their children, and American consumers have often times been unaware of, or confused by, safety recalls of children's products; and
Whereas, At the national level, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and at the State level, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, are charged with providing consumers with relevant and accurate information regarding the safety of consumer products and assuring that these products are safe for use by the public; and
Whereas, Because it is in the public interest for the State to educate parents about the important role of play in children's lives and to raise awareness about resources available to parents to verify the safety of children's products in their homes, it is fitting and proper to designate the month of November as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month" in New Jersey; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The month of November of each year is designated as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month" in New Jersey in order to increase public awareness of the importance of play in the lives of children and the need to be vigilant about the safety of children's products so that play can be safe, fun, and beneficial.
2. The Governor is respectfully requested to issue a proclamation annually designating November as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month" in New Jersey and calling upon the parents in this State to learn more about safe play and to review their children's products, and other products in the home to which children have access, to ensure that they meet federal safety standards.
3. The New Jersey Division on Consumer Affairs is respectfully requested to implement a plan to increase public awareness of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall notification website that makes people aware of unsafe, hazardous or defective products, especially those intended for children.
4. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Joint Resolution designates November of each year as "Children's Product Safety Awareness Month" in New Jersey in order to increase public awareness of the importance of play in the lives of children and the need to be vigilant about the safety of children's products so that play can be safe, fun, and beneficial.
The joint resolution requests that the Governor issue an annual proclamation calling on parents to learn more about safe play and to ensure that the children's products in their homes meet federal safety standards. The joint resolution also requests that the New Jersey Division on Consumer Affairs embark upon a public awareness campaign to make parents aware of federal consumer product recall resources.
