117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3232
AN ACT
To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a consumer product safety rule for free-standing clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over related death or injury, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act
or the STURDY Act
.
Consumer product safety standard to protect against tip-over of clothing storage units
Clothing storage unit defined
In this section, the term clothing storage unit means any free-standing furniture item manufactured in the United States or imported for use in the United States that is intended for the storage of clothing, typical of bedroom furniture.
CPSC determination of scope
The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall specify the types of furniture items within the scope of subsection (a) as part of a standard promulgated under this section based on tip-over data as reasonably necessary to protect children up to 72 months of age from injury or death.
Consumer product safety standard required
In general
Except as provided in subsection (f)(1), not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall—
in consultation with representatives of consumer groups, clothing storage unit manufacturers, craft or handmade furniture manufacturers, and independent child product engineers and experts, examine and assess the effectiveness of any voluntary consumer product safety standards for clothing storage units; and
in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, and paragraph (2), promulgate a final consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury, that shall take effect 180 days after the date of promulgation or such a later date as the Commission determines appropriate.
Requirements
The standard promulgated under paragraph (1) shall protect children from tip-over-related death or injury with—
tests that simulate the weight of children up to 60 pounds;
objective, repeatable, reproducible, and measurable tests or series of tests that simulate real-world use and account for impacts on clothing storage unit stability that may result from placement on carpeted surfaces, drawers with items in them, multiple open drawers, and dynamic force;
testing of all clothing storage units, including those 27 inches and above in height; and
warning requirements based on ASTM F2057–19, or its successor at the time of enactment, provided that the Consumer Product Safety Commission may strengthen the warning requirements of ASTM F2057–19, or its successor, if reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.
Testing clarification
Tests referred to in paragraph (2)(B) shall allow for the utilization of safety features (excluding tip restraints) to work as intended if the features cannot be overridden by consumers in normal use.
Treatment of standard
A consumer product safety standard promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2058).
Adoption of voluntary standard
In general
If a voluntary standard exists that meets the requirements of paragraph (2), the Commission shall, not later than 180 days after the date on which such determination is made and in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, promulgate a final consumer product safety standard that adopts the applicable performance requirements of such voluntary standard related to protecting children from tip-over-related death or injury. A consumer product safety standard promulgated under this subsection shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2058). Such standard shall take effect 180 days after the date of the promulgation of the rule, or such a later date as the Commission determines appropriate. Such standard will supersede any other existing consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.
Requirements
The requirements of this paragraph with respect to a voluntary standard for clothing storage units are that such standard—
includes performance requirements that meet the requirements described in subsection (c)(2);
is, or will be, published not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act; and
is developed by ASTM International or such other standard development organization that the Commission determines is in compliance with the intent of this Act.
Notice required to be published in the Federal Register
The Commission shall publish a notice in the Federal Register upon beginning the promulgation of a rule under this subsection.
Revision of voluntary standard
Notice to commission
If the performance requirements of a voluntary standard adopted under subsection (d) are subsequently revised, the organization that revised the performance requirements of such standard shall notify the Commission of such revision after final approval.
Treatment of revision
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Commission is notified of revised performance requirements of a voluntary standard described in paragraph (1) (or such later date as the Commission determines appropriate), the Commission shall determine whether the revised performance requirements meet the requirements of subsection (d)(2)(A), and if so, modify, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, the standard promulgated under subsection (d) to include the revised performance requirements that the Commission determines meet such requirements. The modified standard shall take effect after 180 days or such later date as the Commission deems appropriate.
Subsequent rulemaking
In general
Beginning 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, subsequent to the publication of a consumer product safety standard under this section, the Commission may, at any time, initiate rulemaking, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, to modify the requirements of such standard or to include additional provisions if the Commission makes a determination that such modifications or additions are reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.
Petition for revision of rule
In general
If the Commission receives a petition for a new or revised test that permits incorporated safety features (excluding tip restraints) to work as intended, if the features cannot be overridden by consumers in normal use and provide an equivalent or greater level of safety as the tests developed under subsection (c)(2) or the performance requirements described in subsection (d)(2)(A), as applicable, the Commission shall determine within 120 days—
whether the petition meets the requirements for petitions set forth in section 1051.5 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation implementing section 9(i) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2058(i)); and
whether the petition demonstrates that the test could reasonably meet the requirements of subsection (c)(2)(B), and if so, the Commission shall determine by recorded vote, within 60 days after the determination, whether to initiate rulemaking, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, to revise a consumer product safety standard promulgated under this section to include the new or revised test.
Demonstration of compliance
Compliance with the testing requirements of a standard revised under paragraph (2)(A) may be demonstrated either through the performance of a new or revised test under paragraph (2)(A) or the performance of the tests otherwise required under a standard promulgated under this section.
Treatment of rules
Any rule promulgated under this subsection, including any modification or revision made under this subsection, shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2058).
Passed the Senate September 29, 2022.
Secretary