CPSIA amendments proposed

The Motorcycle Industry Council and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America have thrown their support behind two separate bills which would overturn the “Lead Ban” on motorcycles and ATVs for youths 12 and under.

U.S. Senator John Tester (D-Mont.) introduced S. 608 on March 17, aiming to amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 to exclude secondary sales, repair services and certain vehicles such as youth ATVs and motorcycles from the lead ban.

S. 608 would exempt vehicles intended for children seven years or older from being considered children’s products.

U.S. House Representatives Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.), Michael Burgess (R-Tex.), Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Michael Simpson (R-Ida.) introduced H.R. 1587 on March 18 which would amend the CPSIA to exempt certain off-highway vehicles from the ban.

H.R. 1587 would also amend the CPSIA by removing the word “any” from paragraph 1A. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency charged with enforcing the lead ban, says it cannot offer exceptions for OHVs because the CPSIA bars “any children’s product” that contains “600 parts per million total lead by weight for any part of the product”. Removing the word “any” would relax the legislation and give the CPSC more room for interpretation.

H.R. 1587 has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce while S. 608 is now in the hands of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

“It’s time to start letting kids ride safely again on vehicles designed for their use, and finally put an end to this untimely economic debacle,” says Paul Vitrano, general counsel for the MIC and the SVIA. “We’re very pleased to see that Congressional action is being taken to end the ban, and we’re working with the bill sponsors to ensure these bills would provide immediate and critical relief to the powersports industry.”

The MIC also asks its members, dealers and powersports enthusiasts to support S. 608 and H.R. 1587 by contacting their Members of Congress and appropriate committee members at http://www.stoptheban.com/.

Click here to view the full text of S. 608.Click here to view the full text of H.R. 1587.

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