In 2023, Minnesota legislators passed a ban on consumer products with certain levels of lead and cadmium, including jewelry, toys, cosmetics, kitchenware and art supplies. The law also included keys, and with the ban set to take effect, many businesses are in a difficult position since workable alternatives are not available or commercially viable at this time leaving them stuck with that keys are traditionally made of brass but include small amounts of lead for strength.
Transitioning to new materials, particularly ones that must meet the performance, durability and corrosion resistance standards needed on boats, takes time. Additionally, boat dealers need replacement keys to remain compatible with the existing fleet of hundreds of thousands of boats in Minnesota. The materials used in keys and the pins inside of locks must be made of similar material to avoid premature wear, which could prove disastrous if it leads to a failure while on the water.
MRAA Joins Coalition, Advocates for Boat Dealers
Last week, a coalition of stakeholders representing the security industry, auto dealers, marine retailers, hardware stores and more gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol to advocate for an exemption for keys, a change to mirror the standards in California (which are less stringent), or at least an extension to allow more time to comply with the law. The coalition acknowledged the laudable public health intent of the law but urged lawmakers to address the unintended consequences of the ban before it caused harm to Minnesota businesses and consumers. Realistically, it was noted, national lock makers were more likely to stop distributing their products in Minnesota rather than completely retool their production process — assuming that was even possible — based on a single state law.
If enforced, the ban would negatively affect boat dealers, who would be faced with no legal way of providing replacement keys to customers, rendering their boats useless. Dealers would be subject to fines for simply providing a replacement key similar to the ones that exist in every home in the United States.
Fortunately, lawmakers from both parties in the Minnesota State Legislature attended to show their support, and Mike Davin, MRAA Vice President of Industry Relations, spoke to the assembled press to share boat dealers’ concerns.
“We strongly support bipartisan efforts to exempt keys and key fobs from the current ban,” said Davin. “An exemption would allow manufacturers to maintain high-quality, safe products while avoiding unnecessary financial strain.”
Furthermore, Dave Briggs, an MRAA Member and Owner and General Manager of Wayzata Marine, authored an op-ed article which was ran in the Minnesota Reformer. In his piece Briggs highlighted the implications for his business while urging the Minnesota Legislature to prioritize passing language that will fix this issue this session.
MRAA Advocacy & You
MRAA’s Advocacy Team is actively monitoring legislative activities in all 50 states, and when issues arise that have the potential to affect boat dealers, we speak up on behalf of our members. If you have legislative or regulatory issues that are affecting your dealership, reach out to MRAA Government Relations Manager Chad Tokowicz at chad@mraa.com.
