BPA "Sippy Cup" Ban Dies Again

The second attempt this month at passing a ban on the chemical BPA in childrens' food and beverage containers has fallen flat in Salem. A bill made it to the Senate floor last week only to fail by one vote. Supporters immediately looked to the House, where a similar bill was in the wings. The measure was sent to the House Rules Committee, which had until today to pass bills out to the floor. While the bill was the today's agenda, Committee Chair Arnie Roblan gaveled this afternoon's meeting to a close without bringing the BPA bill to a vote. I asked Roblan about it afterward and he said there simply wasn't enough support on the panel to advance the bill. He said members wondered if there was any point in bringing the bill to the House floor, considering the Senate's lack of enthusiasm for the concept.

Salem-watchers know that no bill or concept is truly dead until the final gavel falls (and at that point, any dead bill is only on hiatus until the next session rolls around). But for now, it appears as though the votes aren't there.