AN ACT CONCERNING CHEMICALS OF HIGH CONCERN FOR CHILDREN.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Chemical" means (A) a substance with a distinct molecular composition, or (B) a group of structurally related substances. "Chemical" includes the breakdown products of the substance or substances that form through decomposition, degradation or metabolism; and

(2) "Priority chemical" means a chemical identified by the Commissioner of Public Health that is known, on the basis of credible scientific evidence, to: (A) Harm the normal development of a fetus or child or cause other developmental toxicity; (B) cause cancer, genetic damage or reproductive harm; (C) disrupt the endocrine system; (D) damage the nervous system, immune system or organs or cause other systemic toxicity; (E) be persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic; or (F) be very persistent and very bioaccumulative.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Commissioners of Energy and Environmental Protection and Consumer Protection, shall create and maintain a list of priority chemicals that are of high concern for children after considering a child's or developing fetus's potential for exposure to each chemical. The Commissioner of Public Health may include on the list priority chemicals that meet one or more of the following criteria: (1) Credible biomonitoring studies have demonstrated the presence of the priority chemical in human umbilical cord blood, breast milk, urine or other bodily tissues or fluids; (2) the priority chemical has been found through sampling and analysis to be present in household dust, indoor air, drinking water or elsewhere in the home environment; or (3) the priority chemical has been added to or is present in a consumer product used or present in the home.

(c) Said commissioners shall review and revise the list of priority chemicals at least once every two years and shall consider adding chemicals that meet the criteria set forth in subsection (b) of this section to said list.

(d) Not later than July 1, 2016, and biennially thereafter, the Commissioner of Public Health shall report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and public health on the status of the list of priority chemicals created and maintained in accordance with this section. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) Recommendations to reduce children's exposure to priority chemicals on the list; (2) a list of products that contain priority chemicals on the list and that may lead to a child's exposure to a priority chemical; (3) a summary of actions taken in other states to restrict children's exposure to priority chemicals on the list; (4) an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of measures to reduce children's exposure to priority chemicals on the list, including reporting, product labeling, public advisories, product bans and steps to phase out the sale of products; and (5) an assessment of the feasibility of phasing out or banning products containing priority chemicals on the list, including an analysis of the feasibility of replacing the use of priority chemicals with safer chemicals in such products.

(e) The Commissioner of Public Health may require persons located in the state who manufacture products intended for children that contain priority chemicals on the list to consult with the interstate chemicals clearinghouse, as described in section 22a-902 of the general statutes, the Chemicals Innovations Institute, established pursuant to section 22a-903 of the general statutes, or an institute of higher education in the state regarding an assessment of the feasibility of replacing such priority chemicals with safer alternatives in such products and to report to the commissioner concerning the results of such assessment. The commissioner may include a summary of any such reports received from such manufacturers in the report described in subsection (d) of this section.

Statement of Purpose:

To require the Commissioner of Public Health to identify chemicals that are potentially harmful to children and report to the public health and children's committee concerning such chemicals.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]