California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (“OEHHA”) added Bisphenol A (“BPA”) to the Proposition 65 (“Prop 65”) list as a chemical known to cause reproductive toxicity, on May 11, 2015. Prop 65 provides companies with a one year grace period before having to comply with newly listed chemicals, meaning that as of May 11,

The California Office of the Attorney General is seeking to limit certain payment provisions common in Prop. 65 plaintiffs’ settlements with defendants. The proposed rulemaking, published September 25, 2015, would limit the sums payable to the plaintiffs “in lieu of” civil penalties (often referred to as “Additional Settlement Payments”), as well as require ongoing judicial supervision of how plaintiffs actually expend these funds. The proposal would also permit award of plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees and costs only in cases where there a “significant” public benefit was obtained. The Attorney General’s office stated that the proposals are intended to bring Prop. 65 practice more in line with the drafters’ intent, as well as increase public accountability of the plaintiffs’ bar.
Continue Reading California Attorney General Targets Prop. 65 Plaintiffs’ Settlement Terms

The California Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment (“OEHHA”) recently released its long anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing changes to the warning requirements under Proposition 65’s (“Prop 65”) implementing regulations. In summary, the proposed regulations would establish a new mandatory regulation regarding the responsibility of product manufacturers and others in the distribution chain

Yesterday, Governor Brown appointed George Alexeeff as the Director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) at the California EPA.  Alexeeff has been the deputy director since 1998 and has worked at the department since 1988.  He has a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from U.C. Davis.

Among other duties, OEHHA is responsible