What's happening
This bill requires alcohol-serving establishments to post warning signs about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
Why it matters
Targets key point of alcohol sales. By requiring signage in alcohol-serving establishments, the bill directly addresses a common setting where pregnant individuals may encounter opportunities or social pressure to drink, aiming to influence behavior at the point of decision.
Emphasizes public health education. The law mandates state-produced, standardized warning signs, ensuring that accurate and consistent health information about alcohol’s risks during pregnancy reaches a wide audience, regardless of the establishment.
Imposes enforceable consequences. Establishments that fail to display the warning face a monetary fine, adding accountability and incentivizing compliance, which could lead to broader cultural awareness about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Focuses on prevention and risk reduction. By increasing visibility of the dangers of prenatal alcohol exposure, the measure seeks to reduce preventable birth defects and developmental disorders, addressing both immediate and long-term public health costs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Warn Pregnant Drinkers in Bars
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4660
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 3, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. TITUS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to posting of alcohol consumption warning signs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The legislature finds that several reports have indicated that fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), caused by the consumption of alcoholic beverages while pregnant, is the leading cause of birth defects and mental retardation in the United States. As many as twelve thousand infants are born each year with FAS and three times as many have alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). For the past thirty years, the rate of pregnant women drinking heavy alcohol amounts has risen over fifty percent. Nationwide, of the four million women who get pregnant each year, over three quarters of a million drink alcohol during pregnancy. FAS, ARND, along with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and violent tendencies are the most common malfunctions among alcohol-related births. They are lifelong disorders that result in brain damage, facial abnormalities, growth deficiencies and central nervous system dysfunction in unborn children. This illness also causes heart defects, epilepsy, liver or kidney disease, abuse and neglect. Women who drink alcohol while pregnant are at high risk of having miscarriages and developing their own heart problems, which could pass along to their offspring.
§ 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2503-a to read as follows:
§ 2503-a. Alcohol consumption; warning signs. 1. The commissioner shall prepare, have printed and distribute across the state to all persons with a license to sell any alcoholic beverage for consumption on the premises, a sign or poster with conspicuous lettering that provides
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02811-01-7
A. 4660 2
information on the dangers of the consumption of alcoholic beverages while pregnant.
2. All persons with a license to sell any alcoholic beverage for consumption on the premises shall display in a conspicuous place the sign or poster upon receiving it from the commissioner.
3. Any person with such a license who violates the provisions of subdivision two of this section shall be subject to a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a 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.