Lawrence Halprin Quoted in Bloomberg Law Article on California's Proposed Quartz Countertop Ban

Keller and Heckman Partner Lawrence Halprin was quoted in the Bloomberg Law article, "California's Push to Ban Quartz Countertops Hits Legal Headwinds." The article examines California's proposal to prohibit the fabrication of engineered stone products containing crystalline silica and the legal questions surrounding the authority of state regulators to implement such a ban.

Lawrence discussed the legal challenges facing the proposal, emphasizing that regulatory actions must be grounded in statutory authority. He stated, “That is an action within the province of the California legislature, not the Standards Board.” 

Lawrence noted that while worker protections are important, regulatory interventions must be based on legal authority provided by statute, not what regulators think the law should authorize.

Lawrence further questioned the legal basis for the proposal, noting that “Every document I have seen in connection with this matter is silent on the authority” of the California board “to ban the manufacture of a material in the workplace.”

These concerns reflect the legal questions surrounding California's efforts to address silica-related health risks while balancing the limits of the Standards Board's regulatory authority.

To read the full article, please click here.