Require Cordless Blinds for Kids

Section two amends the social services law by adding a new section 390-I.

Section three sets forth that this bill shall take effect twenty-four months after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

Justification

Since 1982, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has estimated at least 200 children have died of strangulation from Roman and roll-up window blinds. According to advocacy groups such as the Parents for Window Blind Safety, the number of fatalities and serious injuries is closer to 500. Those most at risk are children aged 1 to 3 years old, who have some mobility but are still unable to fully control their motor functions.

That window blinds and coverings with easily accessible drawstrings are a serious safety hazard is nothing new. In 2009, a joint effort by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and window blind manufacturers ordered the recall of 50 million sets of blinds throughout the United States. As far as three decades earlier, a federal study tied the deaths of 41 children between 1973 and 1980 to blind and shade cord strangula- tion.

This legislation strengthens regulatory standards for the different types of blinds, shades and window coverings currently available to consumers. It also requires boarding homes, group homes, child day care centers, authorized agencies and public institutions for children, in the come of regular maintenance and renovation, to replace their blinds with safe alternatives or modify them with safety mechanisms.

While this proposal does not directly apply to family foster homes or childcare facilities situated in an individual's residence, it is already within Office of Children and Family Services authority to regu- late safety standards in those locations. Authorized "hornet-Hiders" visit prospective parents and operators, perform safety assessments, provide training on taking proper care of children, and require modifi- cations when necessary. In 2018, the Window Covering Manufacturers Association, with input from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, will be adopting an industry standard making corded blinds unavailable in stores and online, however, corded blinds will still be available per custom order.

Building on the legacy of Maryland's Angel's Law, enacted in 2010 in response to the 2009 death of Angel Duane, a toddler who caught and strangled himself in corded window blinds after being left alone for 20 minutes, despite the fact that the cords were in the raised position. A similar effort is being made to address this issue in Congress. In enacting this legislation, New York State would be sending a message that corded, roman and roll-up blinds can be a serious safety hazard, and deserve greater attention and analysis by parents, consumers, child- care agencies, manufacturers and the government.

Prior legislative history

2018: S.6519 - Referred to Transportation 2017: S.6519 - Passed the Senate

Fiscal implications

Undetermined.

Effective date

This bill shall take effect twenty-four months after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.