
Murray’s Asbestos Bill Advances
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007, Sen. Patty Murray’s bill to ban the use of asbestos, passed the Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works with a unanimous 19-0 vote. The successful vote means the bill will now move to the full chamber, which will occur sometime this fall. Broad, bi-partisan support is expected for the bill.
Sen. Murray’s bill would completely ban the use of asbestos in all products within two years of its passage. The chlorine industry received a one year extension on the ban, so they would have three years to remove asbestos from their products. The bill also allocates $50 million in federal money to research causes and treatments of asbestos-related diseases and it requires the government to educate the public on the dangers of asbestos.
Mike is a licensed attorney and the former editor of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly and South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. He has contributed numerous articles to the North Carolina State Bar Journal and is a co-author of Capital Lawyers, a history of the Wake County (NC) Bar.
Gregory Froom is a licensed North Carolina attorney and the former editor of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly and South Carolina Lawyers Weekly.