Senate concurs on S25, shifts PFAS consumer‑product oversight to consumer‑protection statute

The Vermont Senate on the floor concurred with the House proposal amendment on S25 and adopted a further proposal amendment recommended by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. The action was taken by voice vote and announced by the presiding officer.

Senate Health and Welfare’s reporter summarized the bill’s principal changes: moving the regulation of certain chemicals — including PFAS — and specified consumer products from Title 18 to Title 9 V.S.A., thereby placing enforcement under the Consumer Protection Division and adding enforcement provisions consistent with that Title. The reporter said the amendment also incorporates language from S197 directing the Agency of Natural Resources to develop a broader regulatory approach to PFAS.

The reporter noted the committee removed a House provision that would have set a limit of 10 parts per million (ppm) of lead in cosmetics; instead, the report references a Washington State law reducing lead content to 1 ppm and leaves existing FDA guidance in place.

Procedural outcome
The presiding officer asked ‘‘shall the Senate concur…’’ and, after a voice response of ‘‘ayes,’’ announced that the Senate had concurred with the House proposal amendment with the further proposal amendment.

Attribution: The summary and quotations in this article derive from floor remarks by the Senate Health and Welfare reporter (identified in the transcript as "Senator from Chittenden Southeast").