Bunk Beds; Extension of Time To Issue Proposed Rule

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Parts 1213, 1500, and 1513

Bunk Beds; Extension of Time To Issue Proposed Rule

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Extension of time to issue proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On January 22, 1998, the Consumer Product Safety Commission

(``CPSC'') or ``Commission'') issued an advance notice of proposed

rulemaking (``ANPR'') that began a rulemaking proceeding addressing

possibly unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with

children's entrapments in bunk beds. 63 FR 3280.

A rule mandating bunk bed performance requirements to reduce this

hazard could be issued under either the Federal Hazardous Substances

Act (``FHSA'') or the Consumer Product Safety Act (``CPSA''), or both.

The CPSA provides that a proposed standard under that act must be

issued within 12 months of publication of the ANPR, unless the 12-month

period is extended by the Commission for good cause. In this notice,

the Commission extends the period for issuing any proposed CPSA rule

until March 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Mail requests for documents concerning this rulemaking

should be directed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product

Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207-0001. Documents may be obtained

or examined at the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety

Commission, Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814;

telephone (301) 504-0800. The Commission also may be contacted by

telefacsimile to (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Preston, Directorate for

Engineering Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington,

DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0494, ext. 1315.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Section 9(c) of the CPSA, the

Commission must propose a consumer product safety rule within 12 months

of the publication of an ANPR, unless the Commission extends that

period for

[[Page 3457]]

good cause. 15 U.S.C. 2058(c). Since the ANPR for bunk beds was

published on January 22, 1998, the 12-month period for proposal of any

CPSA rule in that proceeding expires on January 22, 1999.

After publication of the ANPR, the public was given until April 7,

1998, to file written comments with the CPSC. The CPSC's staff then

analyzed the comments and other available information and prepared a

briefing package that was sent to the Commission on December 16, 1998.

The Commission was briefed on this matter on January 7, 1999, and

should decide whether to propose a rule in the near future.

However, the Commission is not certain that it will decide whether

to issue a proposed rule before the 12-month deadline passes.

Accordingly, the Commission extends the date for publishing an ANPR to

March 22, 1999.

Dated: January 15, 1999.

Sadye E. Dunn,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 99-1483 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6355-01-M