RICHMOND – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran made the following statement this morning after the Courts of Justice committee delayed action on the “Child Toy Safety Act”. The committee voted 12-10 to continue the legislation to 2009 during a late meeting Friday, February 8.

In 2005, more than 73,000 kids went to the emergency room because of dangerous and toxic toys, and more than 9 million toys were recalled last year. The “Child Toy Safety Act” was supported by Voices for Virginia’s Children and the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatricians.

“As the father of two young children, I’m disappointed the committee delayed action on such a pressing safety concern for Virginia’s children,” Moran said. “More than 73,000 kids went to the emergency room last year because of unsafe toys – more will next year without quick action. This is a common-sense measure to make sure no parent worries that the toy they give their child could send them to the hospital.”

The “Child Toy Safety Act” would:

• Direct the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Health to remove recalled toys from the shelves of stores in Virginia and to consider the development of standards for toys in the Commonwealth.
• Mandate new regulations for Virginia’s Child Daycare Council that would keep lead-based toys and toys containing other carcinogens away from children in both home-based child care facilities and in child-care centers.
• Create a new civil penalty for stores that knowingly resell recalled toys.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission has only one toy tester and a tiny force of 15 inspectors to check millions of toys at hundreds of ports of entry. Lead exposure in children can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, and headaches.

To review the legislation, click here.