15 U.S.C. § 2078 : US Code - Section 2078: Cooperation with States and other Federal agencies

Search 15 U.S.C. § 2078 : US Code - Section 2078: Cooperation with States and other Federal agencies

(a) Programs to promote Federal-State cooperation
The Commission shall establish a program to promote Federal-State
cooperation for the purposes of carrying out this chapter. In
implementing such program the Commission may -
(1) accept from any State or local authorities engaged in
activities relating to health, safety, or consumer protection
assistance in such functions as injury data collection,
investigation, and educational programs, as well as other
assistance in the administration and enforcement of this chapter
which such States or localities may be able and willing to
provide and, if so agreed, may pay in advance or otherwise for
the reasonable cost of such assistance, and
(2) commission any qualified officer or employee of any State
or local agency as an officer of the Commission for the purpose
of conducting examinations, investigations, and inspections.
(b) Appropriateness of State and local programs
In determining whether such proposed State and local programs are
appropriate in implementing the purposes of this chapter, the
Commission shall give favorable consideration to programs which
establish separate State and local agencies to consolidate
functions relating to product safety and other consumer protection
activities.
(c) Cooperation of Federal departments and agencies
The Commission may obtain from any Federal department or agency
such statistics, data, program reports, and other materials as it
may deem necessary to carry out its functions under this chapter.
Each such department or agency may cooperate with the Commission
and, to the extent permitted by law, furnish such materials to it.
The Commission and the heads of other departments and agencies
engaged in administering programs related to product safety shall,
to the maximum extent practicable, cooperate and consult in order
to insure fully coordinated efforts.
(d) Utilization of National Institute of Standards and Technology
The Commission shall, to the maximum extent practicable, utilize
the resources and facilities of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, on a reimbursable basis, to perform research and
analyses related to risks of injury associated with consumer
products (including fire and flammability risks), to develop test
methods, to conduct studies and investigations, and to provide
technical advice and assistance in connection with the functions of
the Commission.
(e) Copies of accident or investigation reports to other agencies;
conditions
The Commission may provide to another Federal agency or a State
or local agency or authority engaged in activities relating to
health, safety, or consumer protection, copies of any accident or
investigation report made under this chapter by any officer,
employee, or agent of the Commission only if (1) information which
under section 2055(a)(2) of this title is to be considered
confidential is not included in any copy of such report which is
provided under this subsection; and (2) each Federal agency and
State and local agency and authority which is to receive under this
subsection a copy of such report provides assurances satisfactory
to the Commission that the identity of any injured person and any
person who treated an injured person will not, without the consent
of the person identified, be included in -
(A) any copy of any such report, or
(B) any information contained in any such report,
which the agency or authority makes available to any member of the
public. No Federal agency or State or local agency or authority may
disclose to the public any information contained in a report
received by the agency or authority under this subsection unless
with respect to such information the Commission has complied with
the applicable requirements of section 2055(b) of this title.