What's happening
This bill requires restaurants to meet specific nutrition standards for meals marketed to children, with penalties for noncompliance.
Why it matters
Empowers the state health commissioner to define what counts as “targeting children,”. meaning restaurants will have to comply even if they use less obvious child-focused marketing (like menu design, toy giveaways, or language), making enforcement potentially far-reaching.
Mandates that nutritional standards will address not just calories but also sodium, fat type, sugar, and the inclusion of fruits, vegetables, and grains,. aiming for a comprehensive approach to children’s nutrition rather than focusing on just one health metric.
Establishes escalating financial penalties for violations—up to $2,500 for repeat offenders—. creating a strong economic incentive for restaurants to comply and potentially shifting how children’s meals are developed and marketed statewide.
Places regulatory authority in the hands of the state health department,. which means the specific standards and rules can be updated over time and tailored to evolving scientific guidance, possibly increasing the long-term impact and adaptability of the law.
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Who cares
Restaurants and fast-food establishments
They would have to ensure meals, food items and beverages targeting children meet state nutrition standards or face escalating civil penalties.
State health commissioner
The commissioner would have to define actions that constitute targeting children and set nutrition standards covering calories, sodium, fats, sugars, fruits, vegetables and grains.
Children and families buying restaurant meals
Offerings marketed to children, including those on kids’ menus, would have to meet the commissioner’s nutrition standards.
Headline styles
Set Nutrition Rules for Kids' Meals
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
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.
Set Healthy Kids’ Meal Rules
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor Gustavo Rivera
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7886
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 28, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to setting nutrition standards for restaurant meals targeting children
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 1352-f to read as follows:
§ 1352-f. Restaurant meals targeting children. 1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
a. "Targeting children" shall mean an action or actions designed to make a meal, food, or beverage offered for purchase by a restaurant appeal to children. Such actions shall include, but are not limited to, the presence of a meal, food or beverage on a menu designated as a kids' menu or a menu otherwise designed for children. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations regarding what actions constitute targeting children.
b. "Meal" shall mean any combination of food and drink items offered together for a single price.
c. "Restaurant" shall mean any coffee shop, cafeteria, luncheonette, sandwich stand, diner, short order cafe, fast food establishment, soda fountain, and any other eating or beverage establishment, which gives or offers for sale food or beverages to the public, guests, members, or patrons, whether food or beverages are customarily consumed on or off the premises.
2. The commissioner shall make regulations establishing nutritional standards for meals, food items, and beverages targeting children that may be offered for purchase in combination by a restaurant. A restaurant may offer the purchase of a meal, food item, or beverage targeting children, only if the meal, food item, or beverage, meets nutritional standards established by the commissioner under this section. Nutritional
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11639-02-9
A. 7886 2
standards under this section shall include but are not limited to: calories; sodium; percentage of calories from fat (which may differentiate among kinds or sources of fat); sugars and caloric sweeteners; and fruits, vegetables, and grains.
3. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars for a first violation thereof; up to one thousand dollars for a second violation thereof; and up to two thousand five hundred dollars for a third or subsequent violation thereof.
§ 2. This act shall take effect one year 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.