15 U.S.C. § 2055a (COMMERCE AND TRADE)
§ 2055a. Publicly available consumer product safety information database
(a) Database required
(1) In general
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Commission shall, in accordance with the requirements of this section, establish and maintain a database on the safety of consumer products, and other products or substances regulated by the Commission, that is—
(A) publicly available;
(B) searchable; and
(C) accessible through the Internet website of the Commission.
(2) Submission of detailed implementation plan to Congress
Not later than 180 days after August 14, 2008, the Commission shall transmit to the appropriate Congressional committees a detailed plan for establishing and maintaining the database required by paragraph (1), including plans for the operation, content, maintenance, and functionality of the database. The plan shall detail the integration of the database into the Commission’s overall information technology improvement objectives and plans. The plan submitted under this subsection shall include a detailed implementation schedule for the database, and plans for a public awareness campaign to be conducted by the Commission to increase consumer awareness of the database.
(3) Date of initial availability
Not later than 18 months after the date on which the Commission submits the plan required by paragraph (2), the Commission shall establish the database required by paragraph (1).
(b) Content and organization
(1) Contents
Except as provided in subsection (c)(4), the database shall include the following:
(A) Reports of harm relating to the use of consumer products, and other products or substances regulated by the Commission, that are received by the Commission from—
(i) consumers;
(ii) local, State, or Federal government agencies;
(iii) health care professionals;
(iv) child service providers; and
(v) public safety entities.
(B) Information derived by the Commission from notice under section 2064(c) of this title or any notice to the public relating to a voluntary corrective action taken by a manufacturer, in consultation with the Commission, of which action the Commission has notified the public.
(C) The comments received by the Commission under subsection (c)(2)(A) to the extent requested under subsection (c)(2)(B).
(2) Submission of information
In implementing the database, the Commission shall establish the following:
(A) Electronic, telephonic, and paper-based means of submitting, for inclusion in the database, reports described in paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection.
(B) A requirement that any report described in paragraph (1)(A) submitted for inclusion in such database include, at a minimum—
(i) a description of the consumer product (or other product or substance regulated by the Commission) concerned;
(ii) identification of the manufacturer or private labeler of the consumer product (or other product or substance regulated by the Commission);
(iii) a description of the harm relating to the use of the consumer product (or other product or substance regulated by the Commission);
(iv) contact information for the person submitting the report; and
(v) a verification by the person submitting the information that the information submitted is true and accurate to the best of the person’s knowledge and that the person consents that such information be included in the database.
(3) Additional information
In addition to the reports received under paragraph (1), the Commission shall include in the database, consistent with the requirements of section 2055(a) and (b) of this title, any additional information it determines to be in the public interest.
(4) Organization of database
The Commission shall categorize the information available on the database in a manner consistent with the public interest and in such manner as it determines to facilitate easy use by consumers and shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the database is sortable and accessible by—
(A) the date on which information is submitted for inclusion in the database;
(B) the name of the consumer product (or other product or substance regulated by the Commission);
(C) the model name;
(D) the manufacturer’s or private labeler’s name; and
(E) such other elements as the Commission considers in the public interest.
(5) Notice requirements
The Commission shall provide clear and conspicuous notice to users of the database that the Commission does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the database.
(6) Availability of contact information
The Commission may not disclose, under this section, the name, address, or other contact information of any individual or entity that submits to the Commission a report described in paragraph (1)(A), except that the Commission may provide such information to the manufacturer or private labeler of the product with the express written consent of the person submitting the information. Consumer information provided to a manufacturer or private labeler under this section may not be used or disseminated to any other party for any purpose other than verifying a report submitted under paragraph (1)(A).
(c) Procedural requirements
(1) Transmission of reports to manufacturers and private labelers
Not later than 5 business days after the Commission receives a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A) which includes the information required by subsection (b)(2)(B), the Commission shall to the extent practicable transmit the report, subject to subsection (b)(6), to the manufacturer or private labeler identified in the report.
(2) Opportunity to comment
(A) In general
If the Commission transmits a report under paragraph (1) to a manufacturer or private labeler, the Commission shall provide such manufacturer or private labeler an opportunity to submit comments to the Commission on the information contained in such report.
(B) Request for inclusion in database
A manufacturer or private labeler may request the Commission to include its comments in the database.
(C) Confidential matter
(i) In general
If the Commission transmits a report received under paragraph (1) to a manufacturer or private labeler, the manufacturer or private labeler may review the report for confidential information and request that portions of the report identified as confidential be so designated.
(ii) Redaction
If the Commission determines that the designated information contains, or relates to, a trade secret or other matter referred to in section 1905 of title 18, or that is subject to section 552(b)(4) of title 5, the Commission shall redact the designated information in the report before it is placed in the database.
(iii) Review
If the Commission determines that the designated information is not confidential under clause (ii), the Commission shall notify the manufacturer or private labeler and include the information in the database. The manufacturer or private labeler may bring an action in the district court of the United States in the district in which the complainant resides, or has its principal place of business, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, to seek removal of the information from the database.
(3) Publication of reports and comments
(A) Reports
Except as provided in paragraph (4)(A) or paragraph (5), if the Commission receives a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A), the Commission shall make the report available in the database not later than the 10th business day after the date on which the Commission transmits the report under paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(B) Comments
Except as provided in paragraph (4)(A), if the Commission receives a comment under paragraph (2)(A) with respect to a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A) and a request with respect to such comment under paragraph (2)(B) of this subsection, the Commission shall make such comment available in the database at the same time as such report or as soon as practicable thereafter.
(4) Inaccurate information
(A) Inaccurate information in reports and comments received
If, prior to making a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A) or a comment described in paragraph (2) of this subsection available in the database, the Commission receives notice that the information in such report or comment is materially inaccurate, the Commission shall stay the publication of the report on the database as required under paragraph (3) for a period of no more than 5 additional days. If the Commission determines that the information in such report or comment is materially inaccurate, the Commission shall—
(i) decline to add the materially inaccurate information to the database;
(ii) correct the materially inaccurate information in the report or comment and add the report or comment to the database; or
(iii) add information to correct inaccurate information in the database.
(B) Inaccurate information in database
If the Commission determines, after investigation, that information previously made available in the database is materially inaccurate or duplicative of information in the database, the Commission shall, not later than 7 business days after such determination—
(i) remove such information from the database;
(ii) correct such information; or
(iii) add information to correct inaccurate information in the database.
(5) Obtaining certain product identification information
(A) In general
If the Commission receives a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A) that does not include the model or serial number of the consumer product concerned, the Commission shall seek from the individual or entity submitting the report such model or serial number or, if such model or serial number is not available, a photograph of the product. If the Commission obtains information relating to the serial or model number of the product or a photograph of the product, it shall immediately forward such information to the manufacturer of the product. The Commission shall make the report available in the database on the 15th business day after the date on which the Commission transmits the report under paragraph (1) and shall include in the database any additional information about the product obtained under this paragraph.
(B) Rule of construction
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to—
(i) permit the Commission to delay transmission of the report under paragraph (1) until the Commission has obtained the model or serial number or a photograph of the consumer product concerned; or
(ii) make inclusion in the database of a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A) contingent on the availability of the model or serial number or a photograph of the consumer product concerned.
(d) Annual report
The Commission shall submit to the appropriate Congressional committees an annual report on the database, including—
(1) the operation, content, maintenance, functionality, and cost of the database for the reporting year; and
(2) the number of reports and comments for the year—
(A) received by the Commission under this section;
(B) posted on the database; and
(C) corrected on or removed from the database.
(e) GAO study
Within 2 years after the date on which the Commission establishes the database under this section, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the appropriate Congressional committees containing—
(1) an analysis of the general utility of the database, including—
(A) an assessment of the extent of use of the database by consumers, including whether the database is accessed by a broad range of the public and whether consumers find the database to be useful; and
(B) efforts by the Commission to inform the public about the database; and
(2) recommendations for measures to increase use of the database by consumers and to ensure use by a broad range of the public.
(f) Application of certain notice and disclosure requirements
(1) In general
The provisions of section 2055(a) and (b) of this title shall not apply to the disclosure under this section of a report described in subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section.
(2) Construction
Paragraph (1) shall not be construed to exempt from the requirements of section 2055(a) and (b) of this title information received by the Commission under—
(A) section 2064(b) of this title; or
(B) any other mandatory or voluntary reporting program established between a retailer, manufacturer, or private labeler and the Commission.
(g) Harm defined
In this section, the term “harm” means—
(1) injury, illness, or death; or
(2) risk of injury, illness, or death, as determined by the Commission.
(Pub. L. 92–573, § 6A, as added Pub. L. 110–314, title II, § 212(a), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3048; amended Pub. L. 112–28, § 7, Aug. 12, 2011, 125 Stat. 281.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Amendments
text: 2011—Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 112–28, § 7(1), inserted “or paragraph (5)” after “paragraph (4)(A)”.
Subsec. (c)(4)(A). Pub. L. 112–28, § 7(2), substituted “receives notice that the information in such report or comment is materially inaccurate, the Commission shall stay the publication of the report on the database as required under paragraph (3) for a period of no more than 5 additional days. If the Commission determines that the information in such report or comment is materially inaccurate, the Commission shall—” for “determines that the information in such report or comment is materially inaccurate, the Commission shall—” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 112–28, § 7(3), added par. (5).