Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAMES J. KENNEDY
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits use of receipt paper containing bisphenol A.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning receipt paper made with bisphenol A and supplementing Title 56 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. No person shall provide or use a piece of paper containing bisphenol A as a business or banking record, including, but not limited to, a record of receipt, credit, withdrawal, deposit, or a record of a credit or debit card transaction.
b. A person who violates this act shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $500 for each offense, to be collected in a civil action by a summary proceeding under the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.), or in any case before a court of competent jurisdiction wherein injunctive relief has been requested. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which the violation continues shall constitute an additional, separate, and distinct offense. The Superior Court and the municipal court shall have jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999” in connection with this act.
c. The Department of Environmental Protection, a county, a municipality, or any entity certified pursuant to the “County Environmental Health Act,” P.L.1977, c.443 (C.26:3A2-21 et seq.), may institute a civil action for a civil penalty or for injunctive relief to enforce this act and to prohibit and prevent a violation of this act, and the court may proceed in the action in a summary manner.
d. The Department of Environmental Protection may adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
2. This act shall take effect 18 months after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would prohibit a person from using or providing a piece of paper containing bisphenol A (BPA) as a business or banking record. A person who violates the provisions of the bill would be subject to a penalty of between $250 and $500. The bill would take effect 18 months after the date of enactment.
BPA is an estrogen-mimicking
endocrine disruptor used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate
plastics. It has been shown to have hormone disrupting effects leading to
developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune system health issues and is found to leach out of the products in which it is used. BPA is sometimes used in the coating of business transaction receipts and may be transferred to the body of a person handling them, particularly if the receipt is wet.