What's happening
This bill requires child care centers and similar facilities to install cordless window coverings meeting safety standards, with some exceptions.
Why it matters
Addresses a major child safety hazard. By requiring cordless window coverings or retrofits that meet recognized safety standards, the bill targets window blind cords—a long-known cause of accidental child strangulation—reducing risks in environments where vulnerable children are present.
Applies to a wide range of child care settings. The law covers agency boarding homes, group homes, child day care centers, and public institutions for children (but notably not foster homes or family-based day care), meaning its impact extends across many care environments where many children spend significant time.
Provides practical flexibility and phased compliance. Facilities are only required to install cordless products when available and feasible; if not, safer corded alternatives that meet strict standards can be used with proper documentation. Existing window coverings must be retrofitted or replaced over time, allowing for gradual compliance and reduced financial burden.
Aligns with national safety standards and oversight. The bill adopts the ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 safety standard (or its successors), ensuring that New York's requirements stay current with evolving national best practices and rely on expert, consensus-driven guidelines.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Safer Window Blinds
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 108
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Reported referred to codes
- Print number 7692a
- Amend and recommit to children and families
- Referred to children and families
- Referred to children and families
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.
Require Safer Daycare Blinds
In Senate Committee · Children And Families · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7692--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD, MOSLEY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Families -- recommitted to the Committee on Children and Families in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring cordless window coverings in child day care centers, public institutions for children and certain other facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 390-l to read as follows:
§ 390-l. Cordless window coverings required. 1. For purposes of this section, the definitions set forth in ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 shall apply.
2. Any agency boarding home, group home, child day care center, public institution for children, or any authorized agency not including a foster home, family day care center or group family day care center installing new or replacement window coverings on or after October first, two thousand eighteen, shall install cordless window coverings that meet the requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 or any successor standard thereto adopted in accordance with ANSI procedures. In window applications where cordless window covering products are either not available or impractical to operate due to window size, height, or shape and documented in writing by at least two New York window covering retailers, then non-cordless window covering products that meet the requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 may be allowed.
3. Window coverings in place before October first, two thousand eighteen in any agency boarding home, group home, child day care center, or public institution for children or any authorized agency not including a foster home, family day care center or group family day care center shall:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11064-02-8
A. 7692--A 2
(a) meet the requirements of a version of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 or any successor standard thereto adopted in accordance with ANSI procedures, including standards for:
(i) roman shades, roll-up shades, woven shades, and all window coverings with exposed and unsecured cords;
(ii) horizontal blinds, cellular shades, and all window coverings that have exposed draw cords for their operation;
(iii) vertical blinds and other window covering products with loops utilized in their operation; or
(b) be retrofitted with repair kits approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for distribution to consumers by the Window Covering Safety Council.
4. If a person fails to comply with the requirements of subdivision three of this section, the authorized agency may require replacement of existing window coverings with cordless window coverings that meet the requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 or any successor standard thereto adopted in accordance with ANSI procedures. In window applications where cordless window covering products are either not available or impractical to operate due to window size, height, or shape and documented in writing by at least two New York window covering retailers, then non-cordless window covering products that meet the requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012 may be allowed.
§ 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2018 provided that subdivision 4 of section 390-l of the social services law, as added by section one of this act, shall take effect October 1, 2020. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
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.