Bill Overview
Title: Reese’s Law
Description: This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish product safety standards with respect to batteries that pose an ingestion hazard (e.g., button cell or coin batteries).
Sponsors: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Target Audience
Population: People at risk of injury or death from button cell or coin battery ingestion
Estimated Size: 70000000
- Button cell and coin batteries are commonly found in household items like remote controls, toys, watches, and hearing aids.
- Children, particularly toddlers, are likely to ingest small objects like button batteries due to their exploratory behavior.
- Parents and caregivers of young children will be directly impacted as the law aims to make common household devices safer for children.
- Manufacturers of products using button or coin batteries will be impacted as they will have to comply with new safety standards.
- Elderly and visually impaired individuals using products with button batteries, such as hearing aids, may also be indirectly safeguarded.
Reasoning
- Reese's Law primarily targets households with young children and individuals using items containing button batteries. Its goal is to reduce ingestion incidents, primarily affecting children under five, elderly, and those using devices like hearing aids.
- The budget considerations ensure that mandatory safety changes in manufacturing comply with safety standards, which focus on larger, diverse groups: parents with young children, manufacturers, and elderly reliant on battery devices.
- Since approximately 33% of the 120 million households include children under 18 and many households include elderly or vulnerable adults, the direct and indirect influence of the law varies.
- Some people will not feel the policy but rather benefit indirectly by simply living in a safer environment due to reduced risks of ingestion hazards.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reese's Law is essential as it makes household items safer for kids.
- I worry about my kids getting into electronics out of curiosity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Product Designer (Austin, TX)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am not directly affected by this law, but it's great for families and children.
- As a designer, I understand the need for better safety standards in products.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired (Orlando, FL)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm relieved this law is happening; it makes me less worried when my grandkid visits.
- I've been concerned about battery safety, especially with my hearing aid devices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Toy Manufacturer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reese's Law is beneficial for consumer safety, but it means increased manufacturing costs for us.
- I'll have to invest in new designs to meet the standards.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired Nurse (Portland, OR)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support any legislation that makes devices safer for everyone, especially seniors.
- We've had incidents with children visiting—it's a common fear.
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 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
School Teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This law reduces risks both at home and in my school environment.
- I'm hopeful for fewer accidents related to battery ingestion.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Journalist (Dallas, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy highlights the importance of product safety, which is crucial for saving lives.
- I'm curious to see how manufacturers will respond to these changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retail Manager (Miami, FL)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I expect customer questions about compliant products to increase with this policy.
- Ensuring compliance is key to maintaining consumer trust.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Battery Manufacturer Executive (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The implementation will require significant changes in our production line.
- We have to balance safety standards with production costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With young grandkids around, safety is always on my mind.
- I'm in favor of any policy that makes homes safer.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 2: $100000000 (Low: $75000000, High: $125000000)
Year 3: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The transition period will entail costs both for the government in terms of implementation and for manufacturers in compliance.
- Long-term benefits include improved child safety and reduced healthcare costs.
- The effectiveness of safety standards will depend on robust enforcement and consumer education.