By: Menendez H.B. No. 217
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to prohibiting the sale or use of unsafe children's
  products; providing a civil penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 762 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 762. CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY
         Sec. 762.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Child-care facility" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 42.002, Human Resources Code.
               (2)  "Children's product" means a product that is
  designed or intended to be used by a child under eight years of age
  or used in the care of a child under eight years of age and that is
  designed or intended to come into contact with the child while the
  product is used. The term includes a crib, toddler bed, bed, car
  seat, chair, high chair, booster chair, hook-on chair, bath seat,
  gate or other enclosure for confining a child, play yard,
  stationary activity center, carrier, stroller, walker, swing, or
  toy or play equipment. The term does not include:
                     (A)  an item that may be used by a child under
  eight years of age or used in the care of a child under eight years
  of age if the item is designed or intended to be used by the general
  population or segments of the general population and not solely or
  primarily by a child under eight years of age or in the care of a
  general population or segments of the general population and not
  solely or primarily by a child under eight years of age or in the
  care of a child under eight years of age; or
                     (B)  a medication, a drug, food, or another item
  that is intended to be ingested.
               (3)  "Crib" means a bed designed to provide sleeping
  accommodations for a child less than 35 inches tall and younger than
  three years of age. The term includes full-size cribs and
  non-full-size cribs.
         Sec. 762.002.  PRESUMPTION. (a)  A children's product is
  presumed to be unsafe for purposes of this chapter if:
               (1)  it does not conform to all federal laws and
  regulations setting forth standards for the product;
               (2)  it has been recalled for any reason by an agency of
  the federal government or the product's manufacturer, distributor,
  or importer and the recall has not been rescinded; or
               (3)  an agency of the federal government has issued a
  warning that the product's intended use constitutes a safety hazard
  and the warning has not been rescinded.
         (b)  In addition to the requirements of Subsection (a), a
  crib is presumed to be unsafe for purposes of this chapter if it
  does not conform to:
               (1)  the most recent safety guidelines adopted by the
  United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, including 16
  C.F.R. Parts 1303, 1508, and 1509; and
               (2)  the standards published by ASTM International for
  corner posts and structural integrity of baby cribs, including ASTM
  F966-00, ASTM F1169-07, and ASTM F406-08, as those standards
  existed on January 1, 2009.
         (c)  A children's product that has been recalled for any
  reason by an agency of the federal government or the product's
  manufacturer, distributor, or importer is not presumed to be unsafe
  if the product has been remanufactured or retrofitted so that the
  product is safe.
         Sec. 762.003.  LIST OF UNSAFE CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS. (a)  The
  Department of State Health Services shall maintain a list of unsafe
  children's products. The department shall make the list available
  to the public at no cost through the department's Internet website.
         (b)  Not later than 24 hours after the Department of State
  Health Services learns that a children's product is unsafe, the
  department shall add the product to the list.
         (c)  The Department of State Health Services shall inform
  child-care facilities about the list and provide the facilities
  with the Internet address to access the list on the department's
  website. The department shall provide a written copy of the list to
  a child-care facility that does not have access to the Internet.
         Sec. 762.004.  CHILD-CARE FACILITY.  (a)  Except as provided
  by Subsection (b), a child-care facility may not use an unsafe
  children's product or have an unsafe children's product on the
  premises of the child-care facility.
         (b)  A child-care facility may have an unsafe children's
  product on the premises if:
               (1)  the product is an antique or collectible
  children's product and is not used by, or accessible to, any child
  in the child-care facility;
               (2)  the unsafe children's product has been
  remanufactured or retrofitted so that the product is safe; or
               (3)  the unsafe children's product is being retrofitted
  and the product is not used by, or accessible to, any child in the
  child-care facility.
         (c)  The Department of Family and Protective Services shall
  notify a child-care facility of the provisions of this chapter in
  plain, nontechnical language that will enable the child-care
  facility to effectively inspect the children's products at the
  facility and identify unsafe children's products.
         (d)  The Department of Family and Protective Services shall
  provide the notice required by Subsection (c):
               (1)  at the time an application for a license,
  registration, or certification or a renewal is submitted to the
  department; and
               (2)  during a license, registration, or certificate
  monitoring visit.
         (e)  Each child-care facility shall, as part of the
  licensing, licensing renewal, or periodic update process conducted
  by the Department of Family and Protective Services, certify in
  writing that the facility has reviewed each of the bulletins and
  notices issued by the Department of State Health Services regarding
  unsafe children's products and that there are no unsafe products in
  the facility. The Department of Family and Protective Services
  shall retain the certification form completed by each facility in
  the facility's licensing file.
         (f)  A child-care facility must maintain all written
  information provided by the Department of Family and Protective
  Services or the Department of State Health Services to the facility
  regarding unsafe children's products in a file accessible to
  facility staff and parents of children attending the facility.
         (g)  A child-care facility shall post in a prominent location
  regularly visited by parents written notification of the existence
  of the comprehensive list of unsafe children's products and the
  Internet address to access the list.
         Sec. 762.005.  RULES. The executive commissioner of the
  Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt rules and forms
  necessary to implement this chapter.
         Sec. 762.006.  CIVIL PENALTY. (a)  A person who violates
  this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter is liable to the
  state for a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each violation.
         (b)  Each day a violation continues may be considered a
  separate violation for purposes of a civil penalty assessment.
         (c)  The attorney general may bring suit to recover a civil
  penalty imposed under this section.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code,
  is amended by adding Section 42.0423 to read as follows:
         Sec. 42.0423.  UNSAFE CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.  A child-care
  facility shall comply with Chapter 762, Health and Safety Code, and
  rules adopted under that chapter.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.