BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2125
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
2125 (Chiu)
As Amended May 31, 2016
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Health |18-0 |Wood, Maienschein, | |
| | |Bonilla, Burke, | |
| | |Campos, Chiu, | |
| | |Dababneh, Gomez, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Roger Hernández, | |
| | |Lackey, Olsen, | |
| | |Patterson, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Ridley-Thomas, | |
| | |Rodriguez, Santiago, | |
| | |Steinorth, Thurmond, | |
| | |Waldron | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Environmental |7-0 |Alejo, Dahle, Beth | |
|Safety | |Gaines, Gray, Lopez, | |
| | |McCarty, Ting | |
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| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |19-1 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, |Gallagher |
| | |Bloom, Bonilla, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Roger Hernández, | |
| | |Holden, Jones, | |
| | |Obernolte, Quirk, | |
| | |Santiago, Wagner, | |
| | |Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Requires the California Department of Public Health
(DPH) to develop and publish guidelines for local governments to
implement local healthy nail salon recognition (HNSR) programs
with specified criteria, including the use of less toxic nail
polishes and polish removers and improved ventilation. Requires
DPH to develop awareness campaigns and post specified
information on its Internet Web site. Permits DPH to prioritize
its outreach to counties with the greatest number of nail
salons.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, General Fund costs of $390,000 per year for two years
to DPH to implement this bill, including review of current
ordinances, development of a model ordinance, field evaluations
of nail salon exposures, outreach and education, and other
activities.
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COMMENTS: According to the author, voluntary local HNSR
programs across the state have begun to create safer and
healthier nail salon communities. The author states that this
bill will expand these programs and help incentivize nail salons
to choose healthier alternatives to dangerous chemicals through
recognition, education and outreach. In return, the author
states that nail salons will gain more customers and a happier,
healthier workforce. The author asserts that currently, the
spread of these programs to immigrant women worker population
has rested on the shoulders of small non-profit organizations.
Education and outreach by the DPH will significantly improve
local governments' awareness of these important programs that
address immigrant community vitality, environmental justice, and
women and workers' health. Additionally, a well-organized
consumer awareness campaign across California is needed to help
raise the health and safety standards through consumer knowledge
and pressure.
According to the Department of Toxic Substance Control, nail
products containing the "toxic-trio" of the chemicals, which are
dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde, pose health and
safety risks to both consumers and roughly 121,000 nail salon
technicians in more than 48,000 salons throughout California.
These chemicals have been the subject of ongoing public scrutiny
from non-government organizations, environmental and worker
rights groups, and various regulatory agencies over concerns
about nail product safety. Exposure to toxic-trio chemicals is
associated with cancer, birth defects, asthma, and other chronic
health conditions.
In 2010, San Francisco became the first city in the country to
create a formal voluntary recognition program for salons which
do not use products containing specific toxic chemicals.
Created by a City ordinance, the voluntary HNSR Program is
administered by the San Francisco Department of the Environment.
Since 2010, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties and
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the city of Santa Monica have adopted and are implementing
voluntary recognition programs that encourage salons to use less
toxic nail polishes and other products. Nail salons are also
required to improve ventilation and participate in trainings on
best safety and health practices. Salons that meet the program
criteria are given recognition with a certificate, window
sticker, or poster, and/or by being listed as a healthier nail
salon on a local government's Web site.
The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, cosponsor of
the bill, asserts that this bill will lead to nail salons
voluntarily choosing less toxic products and practices,
benefitting the overall health of the nail salon industry,
including its workforce and consumers. Asian Health Services
(AHS), cosponsor of this bill, writes that a significant number
of the patients in their clinics are nail salon workers. AHS
states that this bill is critical for protecting the health of
this workforce and the sustainability of an industry that serves
as the economic cornerstone to so many Asian immigrants. The
California Labor Federation writes in support that each day,
nail salon workers handle products identified as carcinogens by
leading international research organizations, and that these
chemicals have been clinically proven to cause respiratory,
neurological, and reproductive harm.
There is no known opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by:
John Gilman / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097 FN:
0003287
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