The chairs respectively of the Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees, the two legislators said their bills were prompted by settlements arising out of the Firestone tire controversy, the Northridge earthquake, the Fen Phen diet drug, silicone gel breast implants, asbestos and adulterated tobacco products.

"The effect of these secrecy demands has been to keep state and federal safety officials, as well as the public, in the dark about potentially lethal safety defects, environmental dangers, unfair insurance practices and financial frauds," Steinberg said. -- Donald H. Harrison