What's happening
This bill requires warning labels on seasonal and decorative lighting products with lead in electrical cord casings and sets penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Raises consumer awareness of lead exposure risks. By mandating clear warning labels on products with lead-containing PVC cord casings, the bill helps inform consumers—especially parents and caregivers—about potential health dangers from handling these common holiday and decorative items.
Shifts responsibility to manufacturers and sellers. Producers and distributors of seasonal lighting products will be accountable for proper labeling, incentivizing them to either comply with warning requirements or consider safer material alternatives to avoid penalties and reputational risk.
Targets a specific but widespread exposure pathway. The bill addresses a lesser-known, yet significant, source of lead exposure in homes, particularly during holidays when such products are heavily used, thus aiming to reduce cumulative lead exposure, especially for children.
Allows for regulatory flexibility. The commissioner is empowered to waive labeling requirements if it is determined that a specific product poses no significant public health threat, ensuring the law can adapt to changing materials science or risk assessments.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Warn About Lead in Lights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.329
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.97
- Rules report cal.97
- Reported
Show 3 earlier actions
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Warn About Lead in Lights
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4345
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 1376-b to read as follows:
§ 1376-b. Manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead. 1. When used in this title, "seasonal and decorative lighting product" shall mean portable, plug-connected, temporary-use lighting products and accessories that have a nominal 120-volt input voltage rating.
(a) Lighting products within the scope of this rule are factory-assembled with push-in, midget- or miniature- screw base lamp holders connected in series or parallel, directly across the 120-volt input.
(b) Such lighting products include, but are not limited to lighted decorative outfits such as wired holiday string lights, pre-lit artificial Christmas trees, plants, flowers or wreathes, stockings, stars, candles and light sculptures.
2. On each seasonal and decorative lighting product manufactured, sold or delivered by a manufacturer or distributed within this state that contains an electrical cord casing made with polyvinyl chloride in which lead is used as a fire-retardant and stabilizer, there shall be printed thereon or attached thereto a warning label.
3. Such warning label shall contain the following statement: "WARNING: HANDLING THE COATED ELECTRICAL WIRE OF THIS PRODUCT MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD. WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER USE."
4. Any person, firm, corporation or association who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each such violation.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06761-02-7
A. 4345 2
5. The commissioner may waive the provisions of this section in whole or in part upon finding by the commissioner in a particular instance that there is no significant threat to public health.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.