Texas Proposes California Based Upholstered Furniture Flammability Standard

Texas House of Representatives Eddie Lucio III recently proposed upholstered furniture flammability legislation (H.B. No. 2682) in March 2011 consisting of requirements for an "open flame burn resistance standard" to be developed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. The rule targets the filling materials used in upholstered furniture as cushioning, commonly known as "solid gasoline" by firemen who respond to upholstered furniture fires in residential occupancies.

The Bill suggests that the commissioner consider but is not required to adopt California's Technical Bulletin 117 in adopting rules which will carry criminal penalties for selling, delivering or receiving into commerce non compliant upholstered furniture. The Bill, if passed into law, would become effective September 1, 2012. Many believe that the California standard, in effect since the mid 1970's, has reduced furniture fire deaths and injuries significantly more that the remainder of the U.S. No other state has passed legislation regulating furniture flammability, except in isolated cases in some municipalities where some public occupancy and health care environments are required to have less flammable furnishings.

The text of the Bill can be found at

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/html/HB02682I.htm