President Obama Signs - "Lead Law" Dead

In a victory for families who enjoy responsible motorized recreation, President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill to allow the sale of kids' off-highway vehicles (OHVs) to continue, according to the AMA.

Obama signed into law H.R. 2715, introduced by Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R-California) and G.K. Butterfield (D-North Carolina) today. The measure exempts kids' OHVs from the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 - known as the lead law.

The CPSIA, which went into effect on February 10, 2009, banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under, including kids' dirt bikes and ATVs, that contained more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part that might be ingested.
H.R. 2715 cleared the House by a 421-2 vote on August 1 just before lawmakers went into their summer recess, and earned Senate approval by unanimous consent the same day.

The new law is a victory that is the result of nearly three years of intensive efforts by the AMA and its partner organization, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA), their members and millions of advocates of responsible OHV recreation.

"Federal legislators deserve a lot of thanks for their tireless efforts, especially U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Montana), U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and all the other lawmakers who supported an exemption," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Hundreds of thousands of parents, kids and motorcycling club members responded to AMA calls for action to contact their elected officials and their efforts, along with all those volunteers who circulated petitions and took other actions, brought this issue to the attention of Congress and turned the tide in our favor.

"I'm sure that those letters, emails and telephone calls to Congress had a major impact in convincing lawmakers to exempt OHVs from the lead law," Dingman said. "I'm also convinced that the AMA Family Capitol Hill Climb held on May 26 played a major role, since it put a human face on the issue by showing lawmakers the kids and families who are suffering because of the CPSIA."

The AMA has been at the forefront of the fight to exclude child-sized motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA since early 2009. The association has participated in news events to focus media attention on the issue, lobbied on Capitol Hill, and organized campaigns to encourage riders and parents to contact their federal lawmakers and key decision-makers to exempt kids' OHVs from the CPSIA.