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The $70-billion cosmetics industry prevailed over California consumers this week, succeeding in shelving a bill that would ban potentially toxic ingredients from makeup, hair products and other personal-care goods.

The state Assembly’s Environment, Safety and Toxic Materials Committee put off a scheduled vote on the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (AB 495) as it became clear to supporters they didn’t have enough votes to move the bill to the Assembly Health Committee, which was to take up the legislation on April 23.

The $70-billion cosmetics industry prevailed over California consumers this week, succeeding in shelving a bill that would ban potentially toxic ingredients from makeup, hair products and other personal-care goods.

The state Assembly’s Environment, Safety and Toxic Materials Committee put off a scheduled vote on the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (AB 495) as it became clear to supporters they didn’t have enough votes to move the bill to the Assembly Health Committee, which was to take up the legislation on April 23.

It was the day after Christmas when Mirona Constantinescu decided to take a dockless Bird scooter from a café in Bankers Hill to her home just several blocks away.

Cruising in the bike lane on Fourth Avenue, the 32-year-old hit the brakes around Laurel Street — but the scooter didn’t stop.

“I pushed the break again, and I heard this beep, and the scooter starts going faster,” she said. “I had to make a very quick decision. I just veered into a parked car.”

Lawmakers are taking beauty ingredients more seriously.

A new bill attempts to ban asbestos, lead, formaldehyde, and 17 other toxic chemicals in cosmetics. California lawmakers introduced the landmark bill on Tuesday, noting that sales of such products would be deemed illegal in the state. AB 495, the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, would be the first of its kind in the country.

Being dubbed as a "common-sense proposal" by one supporter, the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act is specifically aimed at products that contain traces of mercury, asbestos, formaldehyde, and lead among others.

"Californians deserve to know whether the cosmetic products they purchase in the state are not harmful to their health," Assembly member Al Muratsuchi (D),and a co-sponsor of the state bill said in a statement.

California students could be restricted or banned from using smartphones at school under a bill by a state lawmaker who says the devices can interfere with classroom learning.

The measure by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) would require school boards to adopt policies that limit or prohibit the use of cellphones on school grounds, leaving it up to them what their rules would do.

Legislation introduced in California Tuesday would ban the sale of cosmetics that contain toxic chemicals associated with risk of cancer, reproductive issues or hormonal disruption. The bill, labeled a “common-sense proposal” by one supporter, was authored by two of the state’s Democratic assembly members who say its passage would lead to better protection for consumers nationwide.

California is considering a bill that would ban the sale of all cosmetics in state that contain certain chemicals known to cause cancer and other health effects.

State legislators introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban makeup made with 20 highly toxic chemicals including asbestos, mercury, lead, formaldehyde and fluorinated compounds known as PFAS.

On Nov. 3, 2018 (Japan Standard Time), the Government of Japan announced that Chogi Higa and Edward A. Perron would be recipients of fall decorations.

From the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, Higa was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for contributing in promoting the Japanese language and the welfare of Japanese nationals residing in the U.S. In the recent past, Higa has also been awarded the prestigious Foreign Minister’s Commendation (2015) and the Commendation of the Consul General (2013).

AB 1647, a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi  (D-Torrance) and signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017, will require by 2020 fence-line and community air quality monitoring around oil refineries along with reporting of the readings from those devices in real-time.

The South Coast Air Quality Management Agency in 2017 directed $2.77 million to enhance the monitoring and alert systems at the Torrance Refinery. But there is still a lot the public is not aware of.