What's happening
This bill requires warning labels on lithium batteries under one inch and products containing them, highlighting ingestion risks for children.
Why it matters
Raises Consumer Awareness. By mandating explicit warnings on both packaging and the batteries themselves, the bill aims to make parents and caregivers more aware of the severe risks small lithium batteries pose to children, potentially leading to safer purchasing and usage decisions.
Industry Impact. Manufacturers and retailers of products containing small lithium batteries will need to update their packaging and battery designs to comply, which could involve new labeling processes and potentially increased costs or supply chain adjustments.
Public Health & Safety. The required warnings directly address a documented cause of child injury and death, promoting a culture of safety and potentially reducing emergency incidents related to battery ingestion.
Statewide Standardization. The law would create consistent, statewide labeling requirements for lithium batteries under one inch, potentially influencing broader industry practices or prompting similar regulations in other states.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Warn About Small Batteries
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 23
8 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Advanced to third reading cal.389
- Reported
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- 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 Lithium Batteries
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1492
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, DINOWITZ, GALEF, BRAUNSTEIN, SOLAGES, GOTTFRIED, BARNWELL, FAHY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CRESPO, ENGLEBRIGHT, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring warnings on certain lithium batteries and products containing such batteries
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 490-c of the general business law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 3 and 4 to read as follows:
3. All products sold in this state which utilize lithium batteries of less than one inch in diameter as a source of power shall be packaged with language which reads as follows:
"WARNING: This product is powered by a lithium battery. Due to their small size, lithium batteries can easily be swallowed by children. Ingestion of such batteries has been known to cause death."
4. All lithium batteries of less than one inch in diameter sold in this state, or used in products sold in this state, shall have printed upon them the following language:
"WARNING: This is a lithium battery which if swallowed has been known to cause death."
§ 2. The department of health shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02905-01-9
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.