From the Bureau Veritas Group:

Minnesota has become the first state to finalize a law for cadmium in children’s jewelry. This law comes after the Associated Press released reports of cadmium-laden children’s jewelry and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voluntarily recalled several children’s jewelry products. The requirements will become effective for manufacturers and wholesalers as of January 1, 2011 and for retailers as of March 1, 2011. The Minnesota Attorney General’s office will enforce the requirements of this new law.

- Limit:

• Shall not exceed 75 ppm of soluble cadmium
• Tested according to heavy metals test method defined in ASTM F963

For definitions, scope, and exemptions of this new law click the link above.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

Britt Bailey, Director of Environmental Commons, discusses potential state-level laws for the labeling of GMOs:

Now, four states are carrying bills making the agricultural biotechnology industry liable in the event another contamination occurs. Three states are hearing bills calling for a moratorium on food crops genetically engineered to produce pharmaceuticals. Illinois and Tennessee are calling for labeling of foods derived from genetically engineered crops. Five states, California, Hawaii, Minnesota, New York, and South Dakota, are calling for notification systems in which genetically modified foods become a part of the public record.

For the full piece see: States Introduce Numerous Bills to Regulate Genetically Modified Foods.