I recieved this letter from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, a pretty savvy legal foundation that protects the rights of homeschoolers, and they want to hear from HS'ers about how CPSIA affects us. They are a tremendous ally and will lobby for US, so if you want to send your story, here's the letter, and please keep this thead alive!!:
Dear HSLDA Members,
Help Us Protect You
If new consumer product regulations will harm your business, tell us so we can tell federal officials. Contact HSLDA’s Federal Relations Department at 540-338-5600 or federalrelations@hslda.org. Many of you have contacted us with your concerns regarding the impact of the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), and the forthcoming regulations. We have addressed some of these concerns in the online analysis, “Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.”
However, we are concerned about the effect that this legislation and the proposed regulations will have on small family businesses. It appears that many of these vital businesses could be forced to close due to the high cost of compliance with the CPSIA.
HSLDA is trying to help protect such family businesses, as well as the homeschooling families who may purchase educational items from such a family business.
We will be meeting with the commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Wednesday, February 4. It would help our efforts if we had actual accounts from family business owners who will have to go out of business, or make drastic cutbacks, as a result of this legislation and the proposed regulations.
If you are interested in having us use your family business as an example, please send us your contact information and a one- or two-page summary of your family business, the impact of the CPSIA, and what the likely harm to you will be. You may send this information to Eric Lansing at federalrelations@hslda.org. You may reach Eric and the rest of the HSLDA Federal Relations staff at 540-338-5600, if you have additional questions. We will only share your first name, name of your business, and your state of residence with the CPSC.
Thank you for your help. We are committed to doing all we can to protect family businesses, and are ready to begin lobbying Congress for an exemption to the CPSIA, if the commissioners are unhelpful to our cause.
Sincerely,
Mike Smith
HSLDA President
