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Committee advances bill to ban sale of counterfeit or unsafe lighters that fail ASTM safety standards
Summary
SB 793 would prohibit selling or distributing pocket and utility lighters that do not meet ASTM international safety standards; the committee unanimously approved the bill and sent it to the Judiciary Committee after testimony from manufacturers and firefighters supporting the measure.
A Senate committee voted unanimously to advance SB 793, which would prohibit the sale, offer for sale or distribution of unsafe or counterfeit pocket and utility lighters that do not comply with specified ASTM International safety standards.
Senator Pete Archuleta, the bill's author, said the measure is intended to reduce burn injuries and property damage caused by counterfeit or substandard lighters imported into the U.S. "By requiring lighters to meet the ASTM international standards, California will improve safety for the public, especially our children," Archuleta said.
Nicole Quineas, a representative of BIC Inc., testified in support and described the bill as protecting manufacturers and retailers from the flood of counterfeit imports that sometimes fail safety tests. Quineas said a 2017 test found 70% of imported lighters failed ASTM standards and cited a 2011 U.S. Customs seizure of noncompliant lighters. Supporters included the United Steelworkers and the California State Firefighters Association.
No organized opposition appeared. Committee members asked procedural questions and moved the bill. The committee recorded the motion as passed to the Judiciary Committee; the committee vote count was recorded as 15-0 in favor.
If enacted, SB 793 would make it unlawful to sell or distribute lighters that do not meet the specified ASTM safety standards and would align California with several other states that have enacted similar restrictions.
