Law & Order

Credit and debit card issuers will soon be required to report to the IRS the annual dollar figure collected by their business merchants. The provision was included as part of a new housing law to provide assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure.

President Bush intends to sign into law legislation to increase the authority of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to protect the public from unsafe or substandard products. The CPSC has jurisdiction over more than 15,000 consumer products, from toys to refrigerators. The agency has been a focus of attention following a number of consumer product defects in 2007, from toys to pet food and pharmaceuticals. The landmark legislation was passed with near-unanimous Congressional consent and will increase the CPSC’s resources, authority and testing requirements.  

A comprehensive bill to combat global counterfeiting was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate.  The “Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008” has strong bipartisan support and is similar to a SEMA-supported bill that already passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Several of the key provisions included in the bill are listed below.

Enhancements to Criminal Intellectual Property Laws:

Filler for eNews

The federal minimum wage increased to $6.55 on July 24. This is the second $.70 increase in the last year. In 2007, President Bush signed into law a SEMA-supported measure that balanced a minimum wage hike with $4.8 billion in small-business tax breaks. The wage rose from $5.15 to $5.85 in July 2007. The wage will increase again to $7.25 an hour in July 2009. The tax relief package increased the tax code’s annual expensing limits to $125,000 for 2007 and 2008.

Democratic leaders are discussing passage of a second economic stimulus package before Congress adjourns in late September, although legislative specifics remain unclear. The talking points include a need to create jobs and spur economic activity by improving the nation's infrastructure—roads, bridges, harbors—and by targeting relief to lower-income Americans.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking public comments on a draft "best practices" for importers. The guidelines are intended to reduce the likelihood that imported automobiles and auto parts may contain safety defects or not comply with federal safety standards. NHTSA joins a number of federal government agencies that are pursuing the same initiative for other types of consumer products, from toys to pet food and pharmaceuticals. The goal is to compile useful advice when a company outsources its products.

The Bush Administration has decided not to propose specific steps to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Instead, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comments on the threat posed by global warming and possible ways to address the issue. The action effectively places the decision of how to regulate GHG emissions in the hands of the next president and Congress.

The automakers have been given a two-year extension, until October 2010, to comply with requirements that power window switches have a "pull-to-close" design to prevent children from accidentally leaning on a switch and closing a window on their limbs, head or neck. While most new cars and light-duty trucks will have the switches sooner than 2010, a few models may still have recessed or shrouded “rocker” or “toggle” switches.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes the windshield zone intrusion standard (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 219) is now unnecessary. The rule dates back to 1975 and is intended to make sure the windshield area is clear of other motor-vehicle components in case of an accident.