ToyCon: A Call to Action

The first thing I noticed at ToyCon was that TIA leadership looked intense and concerned.

It didn’t take long before I found out why. The toy industry is in trouble and everyone in toy nation is going to have to get involved to save it. 

Carter Keithley, Joan Lawrence and other TIA staff have been flying all over the country trying to forestall the passage of laws in 32 (that’s right I said 32) different states that, though in many cases well intentioned, will create a thicket of differing state laws that would add redundant costs and in some cases would eliminate whole categories of toys (battery operated toys and electronic toys to name just two). Some of these laws have timetables that are unachievable. The result would be to potentially put some middle and small toy companies out of business.

Let’s be clear. The toy industry is for toy safety. It’s good for our children and it’s good for our businesses. What we want and need, however, is one sensible, federal law covering the entire country. 

Those pushing for these state level laws are very well organized at the grassroots level. We in the toy industry though active at the leadership level are not at the grassroots level. We therefore need everyone in toy nation to get involved. 

If there is legislation under consideration in your state (Illinois is currently in play) you need to contact your legislator, governor or anyone else you know in state government and let them know that you are a voter, you pay taxes and that you want them to support federal rather than state legislation. More importantly, we all need to get our employees, our co-workers, our friends, sisters, brothers, uncles and aunts to give the same message. 

I will be providing in the next few blogs, additional information on how you can be informed about pending legislation and what the TIA is doing. For now, I suggest that you do the following:

• Visit the TIA website for breaking news. 
• Set your Google News or whatever other online news service you use up to alert you to toy safety news in your state and the country.
• Be proactive and find out toy how to contact your state legislator or governor.
• Study closely any pending legislation in your state so you are well informed on the facts.
• Read the monthly TIA e-News bulletins.
• Join the TIA. This effort is costing a great deal and every membership dollar helps the effort.

This is a serious issue. Let’s all get involved.