Purpose

This bill amends Minnesota law on chemicals in consumer products. It eliminates the prohibition on artist paints containing cadmium and broadens the set of products treated as “covered products” under the statute, to include a wide range of common items (notably art-related materials). The goal is to adjust how chemical content is regulated in consumer products and clarify definitions used in the law.

Key Definitions and Covered Products (as changed by the bill)

• Covered product: A broad list of product categories that could be subject to chemical regulation, including:
  • jewelry
  • toys
  • cosmetics and personal care products
  • puzzles
  • board games and card games
  • play sets and play structures
  • outdoor games
  • school supplies
  • pots and pans
  • cups, bowls, and other food containers
  • craft supplies and jewelry-making supplies
  • art supplies, including chalk, crayons, paints, and other art materials, with a specific note about cadmium-containing paints and pastels
• Cadmium-containing paints and pastels: The bill states that it does not include paint or pastels containing cadmium that are not otherwise prohibited under subdivision 2, reflecting a change in how such cadmium-containing art materials are treated under the statute.
• Pastels: Defined in the bill as a crayon composed of powdered pigments bonded with gum or resin.

Main Provisions and What They Seek to Accomplish

• Elimination of prohibition on artist paints containing cadmium: The bill removes the existing prohibition that restricted cadmium in artist paints, effectively allowing cadmium-containing artist paints under the law, subject to other provisions in subdivision 2.
• Expanded scope of regulation: By listing additional categories under “covered product” (including a wide range of art supplies and common consumer items), the bill broadens the regulatory framework to cover more products for chemical content considerations.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Definitions broadened: The statute’s definitions now explicitly include a wide array of product categories (especially art-related items) as potential targets for chemical content regulation.
• Cadmium in artist paints: The prohibition on cadmium in artist paints is removed, changing how such materials are regulated under Minnesota Statutes, with the caveat that certain cadmium-containing paints/pastels may remain prohibited if they are addressed elsewhere in subdivision 2.

Potential Impacts (Overview)

• For consumers: Possible changes in the availability or regulation of cadmium-containing artist paints, depending on how the broader “covered product” rule is applied alongside subdivision 2.
• For businesses: Artists, art-supply manufacturers, and retailers may see shifts in compliance requirements related to cadmium content and product classification under the covered products framework.

Relevant Terms cadmium cadmium-containing paints artist paint covered product art supplies paints pastels crayons chalk jewelry toys cosmetics personal care products puzzles board games card games play sets play structures outdoor games school supplies pots pans cups bowls food containers craft supplies jewelry-making supplies Minnesota Statutes 325E.3892 subdivision chemical in consumer products prohibition subdivision 2