While Congress lags behind in passing safe laws that regulate chemicals, states are stepping up local efforts to protect the public from toxins. That’s according to a new report published by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families which is a coalition of state-level organizations working for chemical policy reform. The first-ever analysis of votes on state laws found the pace of state policymaking on chemicals has more than tripled in three years. The report shows that states enacted 31 laws regulating chemicals in the last two years. That compares with 25 laws passed in the two years through 2008. The safer chemicals coalition says there are three factors driving state action on toxic chemicals: growing scientific evidence of harm, strong public outcry and the failure of Congress to act on the issue of regulating chemicals. The group says 180 health problems including cancer, learning disabilities and obesity have been linked to chemical exposure. The coalition has been pushing for Congress to enact comprehensive reform of the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 which they say does not adequately protect the public. The release of this latest report marks what health advocates say is the failure of Congress to overhaul the TSCA in the face of well-funded opposition from the chemical industry.