The California bill that would authorize a tax on stabilized chlorine products has been put on hold for 2023, according to reports from the California Pool and Spa Association.

SB 676, authored by Senator Ben Allen, a Democrat from Santa Monica, which sought to authorize a local tax on trichlor, has been put on hold for 2023.

The bill would have empowered local public entities with the authority to impose a tax of up to 30 cents per tablet on trichlor tabs purchased at retail stores.

The funds raised from the tax would be used for purposes of public education related to proper use of trichlor tablets in commercial and residential pool settings and local water conservation.

After a spirited discussion at their meeting at the Western Pool and Spa Show, the CPSA Board of Directors voted unanimously to oppose the bill. Discussions with the bill’s sponsor, Hasa, indicated that amendments were being considered to expand the authority to dichlor tablets and to granular and stick forms of the product.

Although the legislation would not have applied to sales of these

SIW445-CCH-WinCamp_FullPgAd_8p375x10p875_r02.pdf products at wholesale — so as only to apply to pool owners who maintained their own pools — there were still concerns expressed by board members that such a bill would establish a bad precedent and that the bill was premature in that there had been no discussion with the industry relative to introduction of a bill on this topic.

With legislative policy committee deadlines fast approaching in April, the sponsor and the bill’s author made

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the decision to make SB 676 a twoyear bill, which means that it will not move forward in 2023 but will still be eligible to be considered in 2024.

Putting the bill on hold for this year will provide an opportunity for a wider debate within the industry relative to this topic. CPSA thanks Hasa for “having its listening ears on” and taking a pause relative to the legislation.