"Save Small Business from the CPSIA" Places in the Top Ten Ideas for Change on Change.org

Montpelier, VT, January 21, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Last Thursday, the Handmade Toy Alliance’s (HTA) initiative on change.org, won its place as one of the top ten ideas for change in America. On Friday, January 16th, “Save small business from the CPSIA” was presented to President-elect Obama's change.gov/transition team at a press event in Washington DC. In the weeks to come, the HTA will partner with a non profit organization to develop a national campaign to enact its idea for change.

The HTA is a grassroots alliance of 237 toy stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country, who want to preserve consumer access to unique handmade toys, clothes and children's goods in the USA. Since November of 2008, they have been working to bring awareness to the impact and unintended consequences of the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) on small businesses throughout the country.

Cecilia Leibovitz of CraftsburyKids.com, a handmade children’s items store based in Vermont, spearheaded the change.org campaign for the HTA. “I'm amazed at how quickly people rallied together to show their support on Change.org. In just a couple of days into the second round of voting, there were over 2,000 votes to 'Save Small Business from the CPSIA.' To finish with over 12,000 votes less than a week later was just incredible.” Leibovitz goes on to say, “There is still a lot of work to be done. This was a huge milestone, but the law has yet to be changed.”

In the last few weeks, as the HTA’s idea for change gained momentum, many members of Congress, including Rep. Weiner (NY), Rep Barrett (SC), Sen. Snowe (ME), Sen. Levin (MI), Rep. Dent (PA), Rep. Holden (PA), Rep. Gerlach (PA), Rep. Platts (PA), Rep. Carney (PA and Rep. Pitts (PA), wrote to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), requesting hearings and directing the CPSC to provide common sense clarifications to small businesses regarding the implementation of the CPSIA. This past Friday, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, including Rep. Rush (IL), Rep.Waxmen (CA) , Sen. Rockefeller (WV) and Sen. Pryor (AR) , the group which originally sponsored the CSPIA, wrote a detailed letter outlining the work that the CPSC needed to do to clarify and properly implement the new legislation.

“We are greatly encouraged by the show of Congressional support our change.org initiative has brought us,” shared HTA member Jill Chuckas, owner of CraftyBaby.com, in Connecticut. “But we know that we still have a lot of work to do. We are hopeful that the new administration will quickly recognize how easily they can affect change with this issue.”

Dan Marshall, Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care (St. Paul, MN)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 651-695-5559
dan@peapods.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Jill Chuckas, Crafty Baby, Owner, Designer (Stamford, CT)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-788-5168
jill@craftybaby.com www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Rob Wilson, Vice President, Challenge & Fun
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-384-6200
hta@challengeandfun.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

The Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) is a grassroots alliance of 237 toy stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country, who want to preserve unique handmade toys, clothes and children's goods in the USA.

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