Reese's Law
Sponsored By: Representative Kelly (IL)
Became Law
Summary
Reduce child ingestion of button cell and coin batteries. This law requires strong safety and packaging rules to cut the risk children face from swallowing these small batteries and to put clearer warnings on products and packaging.
Show full summary
- Families and children: A performance standard must secure battery compartments to eliminate or meaningfully reduce ingestion risk for children 6 years of age or younger. Warning labels must identify the ingestion hazard and tell consumers to keep new and used batteries out of reach and to seek immediate medical attention if ingestion occurs.
- Manufacturers, importers, and retailers: Any button cell or coin battery sold or included with a product must be packaged to child-resistant standards and tested according to the Commission’s rules. Products containing these batteries must include required warnings in packaging, instructions, and on the product when practicable.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): The CPSC must issue a final safety standard within 1 year but may accept a voluntary standard that meets the law within 180 days and treat that voluntary standard as a rule.
- Exemptions: Toy products that meet battery accessibility and labeling rules in 16 C.F.R. part 1250 and batteries that comply with the ANSI C18.3M marking and packaging standard are exempt.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger safety rules for button batteries
The law defines “button or coin batteries” to include any single cell wider than its height and others the CPSC finds a swallowing risk. The Consumer Product Safety Commission must set a final safety rule within 1 year of enactment. Products must have battery doors that stay secure so children age 6 or younger cannot reach the battery in normal use or misuse. Clear warnings must be on packaging, in manuals, and on the product where practical. They must flag the ingestion hazard, tell you to keep batteries away from kids, seek immediate medical care if swallowed, and follow medical advice. The Commission may adopt a suitable voluntary standard instead; it then has the force of law on the later of the decision date or the standard’s start date, and updates take effect in 180 days unless the Commission objects within 90 days. The rules apply to products made or imported after the rule’s effective date.
Child-resistant packaging for button batteries
Within 180 days of enactment, all button cell or coin batteries sold or imported must use child-resistant packaging. Packaging must pass the federal tests in 16 C.F.R. 1700.15 and 1700.20 or a CPSC-specified test. This rule is treated under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. It applies to batteries made or imported after the rule’s effective date.
Exemptions for compliant toys and batteries
Toys that already meet the battery access and labeling rules in 16 C.F.R. part 1250 are exempt from this law’s new standards. Button or coin batteries that meet the ANSI C18.3M marking and packaging rules are exempt from the new packaging rule. These exemptions reduce overlap for makers who already comply with strong safety rules.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Cosponsors
Arrington
TX • R
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Gonzales, Tony
TX • R
Sponsored 10/26/2021
Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 10/26/2021
Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/26/2021
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 12/20/2021
Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/20/2021
Waltz
FL • R
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Rep. Palazzo, Steven M. [R-MS-4]
MS • R
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Rutherford
FL • R
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Castor (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 3/31/2022
Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]
NY • R
Sponsored 5/16/2022
Gimenez
FL • R
Sponsored 5/16/2022
Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/16/2022
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 5/16/2022
Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]
IA • D
Sponsored 5/16/2022
Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 5/16/2022
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 5/27/2022
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 5/27/2022
Rep. Doyle, Michael F. [D-PA-14]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/27/2022
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Rep. Crist, Charlie [D-FL-13]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 7/1/2022
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 7/19/2022
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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