by Donna Maria on March 4, 2010
For those who may be new here, I am the president of the Indie Beauty Network, a trade organization representing small manufacturers of soaps, cosmetics, candles, fragrances and aromatherapy products. IBN members also make confectionery products and jewelry, and many members provide services to the companies that make products. I am an attorney (though not practicing one at the moment). I am not a lobbyist. I am an award-winning advocate for small businesses, most particularly very small businesses that are bootstrapping incredible companies in industries across the economic spectrum in this country. I follow business issues closely, especially as they pertain to the tiniest ventures in cities and towns nationwide.
This morning, I shared the following commentary at Stacy Malkan’s blog in response to her post about the defeat earlier this week of the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. My comment is now awaiting moderation. After I submitted my comment, I realized that the information I was sharing was so important that it should be at my blog, so I could share it with you directly. If you are a small business owner in any industry, pay close attention. You too must fully embrace your legislative advocacy power. Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on March 1, 2010
Today, I listened to the live testimony given in support of and in opposition to the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act (HB 10-1248). I am told that an audio recording of the testimony will be made publicly available by the Colorado legislature and if so, I will post it when it becomes available. Although each side was given a total of only 40 minutes to testify, because the time for question and answer by the legislators was not counted, the hearing lasted from 3:30pm to 8:44PM EST, including a short summary by a sponsor of the bill, Rep. Dianne Primavera and a final vote, after which the bill failed by a 7 to 4 vote.
This post shares the major issues that were addressed by people on both sides of the matter in today’s hearing. Please note that some of the testimony surrounded scientific issues on which I have little to no expertise. I listened carefully and took good notes, but I reserve the right to update this post to make any necessary corrections. Here are some of the people who testified for and against the bill. Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on February 26, 2010
As you know, I have been blogging the past few days in my capacity as the leader of IBN about the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. Below is the text of a draft template you can use to send a letter to the Colorado legislature voicing your opposition to the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. If you have not been following the updates, check this post (with video) and this one (introductory overview).
Note that the letter can be customized to your liking. Insert your name and contact information and, to make it as profesional as possible, please use your letterhead. You can switch the paragraphs around to make it your own. You can also edit them or even delete anything with which you do not agree. Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on February 25, 2010
A few days ago, I told you about the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act, which purports to seek to protect people in Colorado from substances in cosmetics that “cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” I do not like cancer and I do not want children, born or unborn, to be subject to unnecessary hazards. But after examining this bill again, I see even more clearly that it will do nothing to eradicate cancer or toxins. It will instead increase the costs to do business in Colorado, frustrate Coloradoans’s efforts to purchase the personal care products they enjoy and force the entire to state to participate in a fruitless effort to exist in what can only be described as a bubble. Where else can you find an “everything-free” environment?
(If you cannot see the video, click here to watch it.)
This video contains a short overview of some of the problems with the bill. You may feel free to click the embed code and share it at your blog, with a link back to this post. This situation is quite fluid right now, with updates and strategies being developed by the hour, so to remain abreast of the latest news and information, you will want to do a few things. Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on February 23, 2010
In November, I shared my views as leader of IBN on the FDA Globalization Act of 2009. This post was followed by a second trip to Washington, DC to meet with Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials and staffers in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. I have also shared my views on President Obama’s initiatives to earmark additional funds to support small business owners as our nation faces the challenges of a recessionary economy.
As you can see from this series of posts, the potential for passage of new cosmetics laws at the federal level has existed since early 2008. We have been told that one of the factors currently preventing progress on these issues is the economy and health care. While the House Energy & Commerce Committee and all of Congress remains “on pause” regarding the FDA Globalization Act of 2009, other federal lawmakers have introduced other bills that would regulate cosmetics. These include the Safe Baby Products Act of 2009 and the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009. Not to be outdone (and probably due in part to the status of the federal legislation), at the prompting of self-motivated consumer groups, lawmakers in various states are beginning to introduce legislation that would regulate cosmetics in their own back yards. One of them is the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on January 28, 2010
I agreed with many of the things President Barack Obama said in yesterday’s State Of The Union address. We do need health insurance reform. We do need to tackle the issue of childhood obesity. We do need to invest in the skills and education of American people. We do need to increase our exports to foreign countries. We do need more jobs.
(If you are reading this via email or RSS and cannot see the video, click here.)
And yes, we also need to support small businesses. But I disagree with the President’s assumption that all small businesses need in order to thrive is money. Continue Reading…
