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.
- Use the #COcosmetics hashtag to participate in the discussion on Twitter. If you have not set up your Twitter page, now would be a good time to do that. Here's a video tutorial to show you how. Follow me for the latest news on Twitter where this issue is concerned. Retweet Tweets shared by others, especially blog posts, videos and informative links. using the hashtag will allow everyone to be involved in the conversation.
Note that thanks to cosmetics manufacturers in Colorado, we are already connected to several media outlets who are now following this issue. Also, thanks to Jerrell Klaver, a cosmetics manufacturer and candidate for Colorado’s House of Representatives, much progress is being made. Candidate Klaver will be presenting testimony at Monday’s hearing.
- Testify. If you are in Colorado, you can sign up to present your oral testimony in person on Monday, March 1, 2010, at 1:30 in the afternoon at the Colorado State Capitol at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Room 0107 (in the basement) beginning at 1:30 pm. The telephone number there is (303) 866-2604.
- Join us on FaceBook.We are in the process of setting up a FaceBook Fan Page so stay tuned for an opportunity to join us there. Also, Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale has posted a useful listing of blog posts dealing with the Colorado bill. We have no excuse not to be informed!
- Write to your Colorado representatives. What follows is a list provided by Candidate Klavel of the Colorado lawmakers. Please email, write and call them with your statements in opposition to this bill. I am working tonight and tomorrow morning with Leigh O’Donnell, President of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild, to draft some letters that you can use.
Please check this blog and the Soap Guild’s blog tomorrow for templates you can cut and paste to create your own letters of objection. Here is the list of Colorado legislative contacts, courtesy of Candidate Klaver:
Judiciary Committee
Staff Contact: Jessika Shipley // Phone: 303-866-3528 // jessika.shipley@state.co.us // www.colorado.gov/lcs/HouseJUDCmte
CGA-LegislativeCouncil:House Judiciary
www.colorado.gov
The House Judiciary Committee considers matters concerning courts and judges, civil liberties, Colorado’s constitution, revision of the Colorado Revised Statutes, etc.
STEVE KING: Colorado State Representative, District 54 // Phone: 303-866-3068 // steve.king.house@state.co.us
JOE MIKLOSI: Colorado State Representative, District 9 // Phone: 303-866-2910 // joe@joemiklosi.com
B.J. NIKKEL: Colorado State Representative, District 49 // Phone: 303-866-2907 // rep.nikkel@gmail.com
SAL PACE: Assistant Majority Caucus Chair: Colorado State Representative, District 46 // Phone: 303-866-2968 // sal.pace.house@state.co.us
SU RYDEN: Colorado State Representative, District 36 // Phone: 303-866-2942 // su.ryden.house@state.co.us
MARK WALLER: Colorado State Representative, District 15 // Phone: (303)866-5525 // mark.waller.house@state.co.us
CLAIRE LEVY (Chairman): Colorado State Representative, District 13// Phone: 303-866-2578 // claire.levy.house@state.co.us
BETH McCANN (Vice-Chairman): Colorado State Representative, District 8 // Phone: 303-866-2959 // beth.mccann.house@state.co.us
LOIS COURT: Colorado State Representative, District 6 // Phone: 303-866-2967 // lois.court.house@state.co.us
BOB GARDNER: Colorado State Representative, District 21 // Phone: 303-866-2191 // bob.gardner.house@state.co.us
DANIEL KAGAN: Colorado State Representative, District 3 // Phone: 303-866-2921 // repkagan@gmail.com
BETTY BOYD President Pro Tempore: Colorado State Senator, District 21 // Phone: 303-866-4857 // betty.boyd.senate@state.co.us
LINDA NEWELL: Colorado State Senator, District 26 // Phone: 303-866-4846 // linda.newell.senate@gmail.com
PAT STEADMAN: Colorado State Senator, District 31 // Phone: 303-866-4861 // pat.steadman.senate@state.co.us
Elissa Klaver House Sponsors: DIANNE PRIMAVERA: Colorado State Representative, District 33 // phone: 303-866-4667 // dianne.primavera.house@state.co.us
DENNIS APUAN: Colorado State Representative, District 17 // phone: 303-866-3069 //
dennis.apuan.house@state.co.us
KAREN MIDDLETON: Majority Caucus Chair: Colorado State Representative, District 42 // phone: 303-866-3911 // karen.middleton.house@state.co.us
JOE MIKLOSI: Colorado State Representative, District 9 // phone: 303-866-2910 // joe@joemiklosi.com
