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SB 421: Methamphetamine Lab Clean-up (2005)

Summary

SB 421 (2005) would have placed a fee upon first sale in California on the manufacturers of pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in most over-the-counter cold medicines and the primary ingredient in cooking illegal methamphetamine.  The fee would have been used to fund clean-up of methamphetamine labs.

Final Status and Text

SB 421 is no longer active. Its final status was:
Did not pass the Legislature

You can read its final text on the Legislature's Bill Information site.

Background Information

Need for the Legislation:

  • The Department of Toxic Substances Control has completed emergency cleanups of over 15,000 methamphetamine labs in the past 10 years.
  • Existing damage to property and the environment is estimated in hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • Under existing law, the “gross removal” of an illegal drug lab constitutes only the emergency cleanup of hazardous substances that pose an immediate threat to public health or safety.  The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is responsible for this portion of the cleanup, which is paid for through the General Fund.
  • The “deep-cleaning” or “remedial action” is left to the local health & human services departments, environmental health divisions, hazardous materials divisions, fire departments, etc.
  • Existing law places the ultimate responsibility of the remedial cleanup of a former meth lab in the hands of the property owner.