STURDY Act passed as part of FY23 spending bill package
Since 2000, more than 470 U.S. children have died from tip-overs
Casey bill has support of IKEA, Room & Board, Crate & Barrel and Williams-Sonoma
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing that his Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act has passed the Senate as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill. It was first introduced by Senator Casey in June 2016. The spending bill now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
“So many families have faced unimaginable tragedy due to inadequate safety standards for furniture at risk of tipping over,” said Senator Casey. “The STURDY Act will make safety a requirement for furniture manufacturers and retailers so no family has to experience a devastating furniture tip-over accident again.”
The STURDY Act would change the stability standard for manufacturers of clothing storage units from voluntary to mandatory—requiring companies to ensure their products are tested for safety and stability before being sold. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, tip-overs cause an average of 22,500 emergency room-treated injuries each year as children are crushed, trapped or struck by furniture, TVs and appliances.
The STURDY Act has the support of a robust coalition of organizations, including consumer groups and Parents Against Tip-overs, and manufacturers and retailers like IKEA, the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Room & Board, Crate & Barrel and Williams-Sonoma.
The FY23 spending bill will now go to the House of Representatives before heading to the President’s desk for final passage.
Read more about the STURDY Act here.
