To better inform online consumers, U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) on Dec. 17 introduced a bipartisan bill to require online marketplaces to disclose certain verified information regarding the sellers of children’s products.
“Not all online vendors’ toys are as reliable as those from Santa’s workshop. Parents should know that the presents they buy their children are safe,” Sen. Cassidy said. “This bill is about keeping our children safe both during the holidays and throughout the year.”
Sen. Cassidy sponsored the Stop All Nefarious Toys in America (SANTA) Act, S. 3073, with cosponsors Sen. Tillis and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), which would require new information be included in online marketplaces clearly showing product origins and a business name and contact information, among other requirements, for children’s toys and products.
“As families across North Carolina celebrate Christmas and the holidays, parents buying toys should have the peace of mind that they are buying safe and reliable products for their children,” said Sen. Tillis. “I’m proud to co-introduce the SANTA Act so online marketplaces like Amazon must include important information to ensure families aren’t buying counterfeit products that put their children at risk.”
The bill has been endorsed by the Toy Association, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, and the Halloween and Costume Association.
“Third-party sellers on online marketplaces have thus far not been held to the same high level of accountability that is expected from the U.S. toy and retail industries,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Association. “This bill stands to be an important tool toward achieving this objective.”