CA Lodging Assoc. Reaches Prop. 65 Settlement

SACRAMENTO, CA— Under the guidance of the California Hotel & Lodging Association, Californias hotel and lodging operators have reached a settlement agreement that will provide a way to limit their liability regarding claims filed under Proposition 65. If approved by a judge, the settlement, which includes new warning/compliance guidelines, would limit a lodging operators liability from ‘bounty hunters’— private attorneys who sue for millions of dollars in fines on behalf of the general public when it is alleged that a lodging operator violates Proposition 65. Proposition 65 requires anyone exposed to carcinogens or reproductive toxins to be warned— a concept universally accepted by the operators of Californias lodging establishments. “Our members believe Proposition 65 is a good thing. We certainly want to make sure the public knows when theyre exposed to such things as second-hand smoke or other carcinogens,” said Jim Abrams, evp/CH&LA. “However, at the same time, were seeing aggressive attorneys seeking excessive fees from both large and small lodging operators over minor infractions, or even when there might not be any infraction at all.” The California Hotel & Lodging Association is actively working with the attorneys representing many plaintiffs and with the Attorney Generals office to secure court approval of the settlement agreement.