A bill introduced in the State Senate would eventually ban a list of toxic chemicals from use in children's products, including toys, clothing, car seats, and furniture. The legislation has the votes to pass, but it's stuck in bureaucratic limbo. The legislation would establish a list maintained by the State Department of Environmental Conservation, of dangerous chemicals in children's products. Within one year of enactment, children's product manufacturers and distributors would have to notify retailers when their products contain any of those chemicals.
The legislation would also require that starting in 2018, children's products containing these listed chemicals could not be sold in New York. If the Senate passes the legislation, the action will likely have a national impact. New York and California are two of the biggest consumer markets in the country, and California has already enacted similar laws. In the past, consumer safety measures implemented by one or both states have led manufacturers to use those requirements for all states.