Sunshine in Product Safety Act
1/10/2024, 9:45 AMSummary of Bill HR 1686
The Sunshine in Product Safety Act, also known as Bill 118 hr 1686, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to increase transparency and accountability in product safety regulations.If passed, the Sunshine in Product Safety Act would require manufacturers of consumer products to publicly disclose any information related to safety hazards or defects in their products. This information would need to be reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and made available to the public on a searchable database.
Additionally, the bill would establish a whistleblower protection program to encourage individuals to report safety concerns without fear of retaliation. This program would provide legal protections for employees who come forward with information about unsafe products. Overall, the Sunshine in Product Safety Act aims to improve consumer safety by ensuring that relevant information about product hazards is readily accessible to the public. It also seeks to hold manufacturers accountable for the safety of their products and provide protections for those who speak out about safety concerns.
Congressional Summary of HR 1686
Sunshine in Product Safety Act
This bill repeals provisions that restrict the disclosure of certain information by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Specifically, the bill repeals provisions that prohibit the CPSC from disclosing certain information about a consumer product that may reveal the identity of the product's manufacturer without first taking reasonable steps to ensure that the information is accurate, the disclosure of the information is fair in the circumstances, and that releasing the information to the public serves the purposes of the laws administered by the commission. The provisions also (1) require the CPSC to provide the manufacturer with an opportunity to comment on the accuracy of the information prior to disclosure, and (2) allow the manufacturer to file a lawsuit in federal court to block a disclosure.
