House of Representatives

SB 1061

bedding

Sponsors: Senators Gerard and Nichols

DPA	Committee on Health
DPA	Caucus and COW
X	As Passed the House

SB 1061 removes the Department of Health Services (DHS) from statutory language referring to the labeling of bedding.

History

This bill adopts the recommendations from a 1998 audit performed by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on the Department of Health Services. The OAG audit recommended that DHS focus on activities with the most impact on public health. Currently, DHS is required to inspect bedding for label violations, but the position taken by DHS is that it is a consumer fraud issue, and not one of public safety. This bill removes the inspection requirement, but leaves the language containing the standards which manufacturers of bedding are required to follow.

Provisions

· Eliminates the requirement for DHS to inspect and enforce bedding labeling standards.

· Requires new and reconditioned mattress labels to include the name and address of the manufacturer, distributor or renovator.

· Makes technical and conforming changes.

SB 1061 passed the Health Committee amended as follows:

· Explains how a manufacturer, renovator, rebuilder, repairer or sanitizer must inspect used bedding, and describes conditions under which bedding may not be resold.

· Specifies that the name and address of the manufacturer is required to be on the tag, whether the manufacturer is instate or out of state.

· Requires secondhand materials to be disinfected prior to resale.

The Health Committee amendment was adopted in the Committee of the Whole.

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44th Legislature

Second Regular Session 2 March 5, 2001

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