Client Project Spotlight: American Cleaning Institute

The Issue

AB 916 (Lee) would have banned a class of chemical agents commonly used in antibacterial compounds, which proponents claim present safety concerns, including skin irritation, dryness and allergic reactions. The actual implications of this bill would make California’s most vulnerable populations sicker, compromise our food safety and generally disrupt our quality of life.

All of this would have been done in the name of outlawing products the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) deems safe when used properly. Our client, the American Cleaning Institute, and a strategic coalition we built on their behalf knew that this legislation was bad for consumers and the industry alike, so together we took action to make sure this misleading bill would not pass.

What We Did

• Strategy & Management:

  • Developed and implemented a coordinated campaign strategy with ACI and lobbying teams.

• Messaging:

  • Consumer Impact: Emphasized risks to the safety and quality of everyday places.

  • Health & Safety: Highlighted harm to vulnerable populations.

  • Regulatory Chaos: Focused on conflicts with federal and state efforts.

• Coalition Building:

  • Mobilized a coalition of stakeholders to oppose the bill.

• Collateral Materials:

  • Created opposition letters, fact sheets, FAQs, and alerts for coalition and lobbyist engagement.

• Public Opinion Research:

  • Conducted polling of voters on their views about losing antibacterial soaps to inform campaign messaging.

Outcome:

As a result of our strategic campaign, the bill’s author withdrew AB 916 from its policy committee. The decision not to move the bill forward this year clearly shows the impact of running a coordinated and targeted campaign, emphasizing the consequences of public opposition to a policy.

To learn more about the work Calkin PA has done for its clients, please check out some of our additional case studies.