Today, the Commission voted to approve two rules implementing the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, which bans crib bumpers and inclined sleepers for infants. Congress passed this law, which went into effect on November 12, 2022, to address two types of products that were known to be hazardous for babies but that were marketed to parents and caregivers. The rules we approved today will guide the Commission’s enforcement of the law going forward.
The Safe Sleep for Babies Act’s ban on crib bumpers has been an important component of CPSC’s work to ensure that an infant’s sleep environment is as safe as possible. Its ban on inclined sleepers for infants buttressed the work CPSC had done through its Infant Sleep Products Rule, and extended the scope of the ban to include inclined sleepers for infants up to 12 months of age, instead of 5 months under the Rule.
I thank Representatives Cárdenas and Schakowsky, and Senators Duckworth, Portman, Blumenthal, and Brown for their leadership on this legislation.