What's happening
Harper's Law requires new clothing storage furniture sold in New York to include tip restraint devices and warning labels to prevent tip-over accidents.
Why it matters
Addresses a major child safety risk. Tip-overs from dressers and similar furniture have caused significant injuries and deaths, especially among young children; this bill directly targets that hazard by requiring built-in safety mechanisms.
Sets enforceable standards for retailers. By tying requirements to Consumer Product Safety Commission or ASTM standards, the bill ensures that furniture sold in New York meets nationally recognized safety criteria, raising the baseline for product safety.
Imposes real consequences for noncompliance. Retailers can be fined up to $500 per violation, creating an incentive for businesses to prioritize consumer safety and comply with the law.
Ensures consumer awareness and choice. If a piece of furniture falls outside regulated standards, retailers must still provide compatible tip restraint devices and post clear warnings, empowering consumers to make safer decisions and reducing the risk of tragic accidents.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Furniture Tip Restraints
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 39
History
- Substituted by A4421B
- Amended on third reading 1627b
- Amended on third reading 1627a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.545
- Referred to consumer 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.
Require Furniture Tip Restraints
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Kenneth Zebrowski
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1627--B Cal. No. 545
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sens. SKOUFIS, BOYLE, GAUGHRAN, GOUNARDES, SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading -- again amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting "Harper's Law" requiring tip restraint devices on certain furniture
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Harper's Law".
§ 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 399- ii to read as follows:
§ 399-ii. Furniture tip restraint device. 1. As used in this section:
(a) "furniture" shall mean a clothing storage unit that is freestanding and at least twenty-seven inches in height including but not limited to chests, dressers, armoires, and bureaus; and
(b) "tip restraint device" shall mean a mechanism that is designed to reduce the risk of furniture tipping over. Such mechanism may include straps, wall brackets, steel cables, or plug and screw sets.
2. No person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, or other entity shall sell or offer to sell new furniture to a consumer at retail unless the furniture conforms to standards endorsed or established by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission or, if no such standard exists, a standard established by ASTM International which requires furniture to contain a tip restraint device and carry a permanent warning label, including but not limited to, ASTM F2057.
3. A person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, or other entity may sell or offer to sell new furniture
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05559-05-9
S. 1627--B 2
that does not meet the requirements in subdivision two of this section if the furniture sold is outside the scope of the standards prescribed in subdivision two of this section and contains a compatible tip restraint device and carries a permanent warning label, or if the furniture is outside the scope of the standards prescribed in subdivision two of this section and the retailer: (a) maintains in stock and prominently displays within the store tip restraint devices available for sale that are compatible with such furniture; and (b) posts a notice, in a conspicuous location which may be easily seen or reached by customers, that, in legible format, states: "Certain furniture may become unstable and tip over, leading to possible injury or death. Tip restraint devices may prevent tipping of furniture when properly installed."
4. Any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, or other entity that sells or offers to sell new furniture to a consumer at retail in violation of the provisions of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation.
§ 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting "Harper's Law" requiring tip restraint devices on certain furniture
Purpose
This bill will enact "Harper's Law" which will require that retailers who sell certain new furniture to only sell furniture that complies with federal standards, or no standard exists, an industry standards that require furniture to contain a tip restraint device and has a permanent warning label unless they offer for sale compatible tip restraint devices and post a notice informing consumers of the risk of furniture tipping.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill states that the act shall be known as "Harper's Law."
Section two of the bill amends the general business law by adding new section 399-ii as it relates to requiring retailers who sell certain new furniture to only sell furniture that complies with federal standards or industry standards that require furniture to contain a tip restraint device and has a permanent warning label. The bill allows retailers to sell furniture that is outside the scope of federal or certain industry standards if they contain a tip restraint device and warning label or if not, the retailer must offer for sale compatible tip restraint devices and post a notice informing consumers of the risk of furniture tipping.
Section three of the bill relates to the effective date.
Difference between original and amended version
The amendments clarify that a retailer must sell furniture that complies with federal or certain industry standards unless they offer for sale compatible tip restraint devices and post a notice informing consumers of the risk of furniture tipping.
Justification
There is a growing problem of certain clothing storage furniture tipping over and causing serious injury or death. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were 195 fatalities between 2000 and 2016, and 65,200 injuries between 2006 and 2016 related to furniture tipping over. These tragedies often involve young children with over 861/4 of reported deaths under the age of 18 with a majority under the age of 6. This bill is named after Harper, a three year old Hudson Valley girl, who tragically lost her life after a piece of children's furniture accidentally tipped over and fell on her.
The bill will require retailers that sell certain new furniture to only sell furniture that complies with federal standards or industry stand- ards that require furniture to contain a tip restraint device and has a permanent warning label. A retailer may sell furniture that does not comply with federal or industry standards if they display and offer for sale compatible tip restraint devices. This will provide consumers with readily available safety products which reduce the risk that furniture will tip over. Selling tip restraint devices in tandem with certain furniture will encourage consumers to purchase and install this inexpen- sive yet potentially lifesaving device.
Legislative history
A.7516C of 2017-18
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.