News Room: Green Chemistry

State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) was recognized as an Environmental Champion by Green California Tuesday night during its Advocacy Day reception in the capital. Green California is a network of more than 70 environmental, health and justice organizations who, with their more than 1 million memberships, support the state’s most pressing environmental issues. read more ...

In California, which has lead the nation in passing “green chemistry” laws, an influential Democrat, State Senator Joe Simitian, said he would press for mandatory disclosure if the voluntary effort comes up short. read more ...

The message is clear today: Put your cell phone down while driving. Beginning today, text messaging while driving is against the law and carries with it a $20 to $50 fine. The new law, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, closes the technology loophole left after the hands-free cell phone law went into effect last year. The new law is just one of the 834 bills signed into law in 2008 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. New federal, state and local laws that take effect Jan. 1, 2009 range from the naming of Devil’s Slide tunnel to the second consecutive year of minimum wage increases. A few of those laws were ideas suggested to state Simitian through his annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. Simitian passed 14 bills, including ones that regulate deceptive sweepstakes practices and expands the small business loan program. read more ...

Palo Alto – As Californians usher in the New Year, they will find new protections for many including victims of sexual abuse, veterans and seniors. The protections will come from laws that State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) authored and will take effect on January 1, 2009. The following are among the 14 bills that Simitian received signatures on this fall from the Governor. read more ...

Palo Alto – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that Governor Schwarzenegger signed his Senate Bill 509, which establishes the Toxics Information Clearinghouse to allow consumers, businesses, and workers to gain knowledge about chemicals. SB 509 helps form the foundations for the Governor's Initiative on Green Chemistry, the most comprehensive in the nation, as a means for establishing a scientific-based process to evaluate chemicals and alternatives. read more ...

Sacramento - The California State Senate has endorsed the important principle that consumers should be able to find out what is in the products they purchase by passing a “disclosure of ingredients” bill introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The measure, Senate Bill (SB) 509, would require manufacturers of consumer products to publish on the Web a list of every substance in a product that makes up more than one-tenth of one percent of the whole. While previous laws have mandated disclosure of ingredients in food and cosmetics, no similar requirement exists for the thousands of consumer products that people buy and use every day. read more ...