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Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio HB 873 establishes stuffed toy health and safety regulations and manufacturer variance process
Last action · May 20, 2026: Referred to Small BusinessSponsors: David Thomas and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Ohio House Bill 873 updates state law governing stuffed toys and bedding by establishing specific regulatory definitions, registration and labeling requirements, and a process for manufacturers overseen by the superintendent of industrial compliance.
Manufacturers and sellers of stuffed toys and bedding in Ohio must comply with new labeling rules and registration mandates, while gaining a formal avenue to request regulatory s from the Department of Commerce.
- Ohio regulates bedding and stuffed toy manufacturing, labeling, and sales under Chapter 3713 of the Revised Code to ensure consumer safety and hygiene. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Stuffed Toy Manufacturers
Stuffed toy manufacturers must adhere to updated registration, labeling, and statutory definitions, and may apply for regulatory variances through the superintendent of industrial compliance.
Bedding Manufacturers and Wholesalers
Bedding manufacturers and wholesalers are subject to registration mandates, sanitation rules for secondhand goods, and strict labeling prohibitions.
Department of Commerce
The Department of Commerce is directed to update Chapter 4101 of the Ohio Administrative Code regarding labeling requirements.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the bill require stuffed toy manufacturers to do before selling products?
Can stuffed toy manufacturers request exceptions to existing rules?
How are reclaimed and recycled materials treated under the definitions?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- May 20, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to Small Business
- May 12, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Introduction of Manufacturer Variance Mechanism
The bill adds a specific administrative avenue allowing stuffed toy manufacturers to seek regulatory variances from the superintendent of industrial compliance.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance55How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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