Bill Overview
Title: Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021
Description: 21 This bill makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, or distribute crib bumpers or inclined sleepers for infants. Specifically, inclined sleepers for infants are those designed for an infant up to one year old and have an inclined sleep surface of greater than 10 degrees. Crib bumpers generally are padded materials inserted around the inside of a crib and intended to prevent the crib occupant from becoming trapped in any part of the crib's openings; they do not include unpadded, mesh crib liners.
Sponsors: Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29]
Target Audience
Population: Infants up to one year old
Estimated Size: 3600000
- The bill focuses on products used for infant sleep, specifically crib bumpers and inclined sleepers.
- Infants under one year old will be directly impacted since they are the end-users of these products.
- Parents and guardians of infants are indirectly impacted as they will need to find alternative sleep solutions for their infants.
- Manufacturers, retailers, and distributors of the banned products in both local and global markets will be affected due to changes in their product lineup and potential loss of sales.
- The bill is expected to enhance the safety of infant sleep environments, potentially reducing the risk of incidents such as suffocation or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), thereby impacting public health measures related to infant care.
- Given global birth rates, the number of births per year across the world can be used to estimate the number of infants who could potentially be impacted.
Reasoning
- The policy targets the safety of infant sleep products, specifically prohibiting potentially harmful items like crib bumpers and inclined sleepers, which are known to be associated with infant injuries and fatalities.
- Most directly, the policy impacts manufacturers and retailers, potentially affecting their revenue streams and necessitating adjustments in their product lines.
- Parents and families with infants are indirectly impacted as they transition to safer alternatives for their infants' sleep environments, which may involve initial inconvenience or cost.
- The policy has a broader societal impact by potentially reducing infant injury and mortality rates, thus providing peace of mind for many parents and guardians.
- The budget for implementing this policy involves regulatory, enforcement, and educational efforts to ensure compliance and inform the public about safe sleep practices.
Simulated Interviews
Stay-at-home parent (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm grateful for the policy because the safety of my baby is my top priority. I feel more assured knowing that potentially dangerous products are banned.
- Finding alternatives wasn't difficult; plenty of safe sleep items are available now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retail store owner (Grand Rapids, MI)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is challenging for my business. I've had to rethink my inventory, select safer products, and educate customers.
- It's added some operational strain, though I understand it's for infant safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Tech Manager (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.5 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the focus on safety but was initially anxious about finding suitable alternatives for my baby's sleep area.
- After research, I found many non-bumper options, which eased my concerns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Pediatrician (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy aligns with what we've been advising parents for years: to avoid crib bumpers and inclined sleepers.
- It should improve infant safety statistics, making my job feel more impactful in preventing SIDS.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Crib manufacturer (Houston, TX)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The ban affected us initially, but we quickly adapted by producing safer versions of our products.
- We now focus on marketing the benefits of our revised product line.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Marketing professional (Portland, OR)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support the policy as it aligns with my values for safe, eco-friendly child-rearing.
- The options available now meet both safety and sustainability goals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Sales Executive (Charlotte, NC)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It reassures me knowing my newborn won't have access to dangerous sleep products.
- We went through similar safety concerns with our older child.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Child Care Worker (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy makes my job easier as it reinforces our safety training protocols.
- Parents are more comfortable leaving their infants with us now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Freelancer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 25 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Navigating the changes on a tight budget was tough, but safety is paramount.
- Found creative solutions with second-hand, policy-compliant items.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Public Health Official (Chicago, IL)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy bolsters our efforts in promoting safe infant sleep practices.
- It should lead to decreased mortality rates, allowing us to focus on other health issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $4000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $3000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $5000000)
Year 5: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $3000000)
Year 10: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $3000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Monitoring compliance with the ban and imposing penalties as needed for violations.
- Potential costs and savings are likely to be primarily influenced by alterations in public health trends.
- Changing consumer behavior as parents seek safer, compliant alternatives for infant sleep products.