What's happening
This bill requires warning labels on seasonal and decorative lighting products with lead in electrical cord casings, and sets penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Raises consumer awareness of lead exposure risks. By requiring explicit warning labels on seasonal and decorative lighting products with lead in electrical cord casings, the bill helps consumers make informed choices and take precautions to minimize exposure—especially important for families with young children.
Targets a common but overlooked source of lead. Many people may not realize that everyday decorative products, like holiday string lights or pre-lit wreaths, can contain lead in wire coatings, presenting a chronic but hidden health risk in homes and public spaces.
Establishes enforceable penalties to ensure compliance. The bill's civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation creates a financial incentive for manufacturers and distributors to follow the new labeling rules, aiming to change industry practices and improve overall product safety.
Allows for regulatory flexibility. By permitting waivers if the health commissioner determines there is no significant threat, the bill ensures that labeling requirements can be adjusted in specific cases, preventing unnecessary regulation where risk is minimal.
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Who cares
Seasonal lighting manufacturers and distributors
Covered products with lead in their electrical cord casings would need warning labels, with violations subject to civil penalties of up to $1,000 each.
Retailers selling holiday and decorative lights
The bill would require warning labels on covered products sold in New York, including string lights and pre-lit artificial Christmas trees.
Consumers handling seasonal lighting
Labels would warn that handling coated electrical wire may expose them to lead and advise washing hands thoroughly after use.
State health commissioner
The commissioner could waive the requirements in whole or in part upon finding no significant threat to public health in a particular instance.
Headline styles
Warn About Lead in Lights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 38
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 3493a
- Amend and recommit to health
- 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.
Label Holiday Lights With Lead
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor Sandy Galef
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 3493--A A. 5147--A Cal. No. 195
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. GALEF, THIELE, MOSLEY, GOTTFRIED, DE LA ROSA, JEAN-PIERRE, L. ROSENTHAL, GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection -- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead
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 1376-b to read as follows:
§ 1376-b. Manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead. 1. When used in this title, "seasonal and decorative lighting product" shall mean portable, plug-connected, temporary-use lighting products and accessories that have a nominal 120-volt input voltage rating.
(a) Lighting products within the scope of this rule are factory-assembled with push-in, midget or miniature screw base lamp holders connected in series or parallel, directly across the 120-volt input.
(b) Such lighting products include, but are not limited to lighted decorative outfits such as wired holiday string lights, pre-lit artificial Christmas trees, plants, flowers or wreaths, stockings, stars, candles and light sculptures.
2. On each seasonal and decorative lighting product manufactured, sold or delivered by a manufacturer or distributed within this state that
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00250-02-0
S. 3493--A 2 A. 5147--A
contains an electrical cord casing in which lead is used, there shall be printed thereon or attached thereto a warning label.
3. Such warning label shall contain the following statement: "WARNING: HANDLING THE COATED ELECTRICAL WIRE OF THIS PRODUCT MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD. WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER USE."
4. Any person, firm, corporation or association who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each such violation.
5. The commissioner may waive the provisions of this section in whole or in part upon finding by the commissioner in a particular instance that there is no significant threat to public health.
§ 2. 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 public health law, in relation to the manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this legislation is to minimize, and eventually stop altogether, the negative impact of lead in seasonal and decorative lighting products lead.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. The Public Health Law is amended by adding a new section 1376-b, which reads as follows: § 1376-b. Manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead. 1. Defines "seasonal and decorative lighting product". 2. Each SADLP manufactured, sold or distributed in New York State that has an electrical cord casing that uses lead as a fire-retardant must have a warning label. 3. At minimal, the warning label must read, "WARNING: HANDLING THE COATED ELECTRICAL WIRE OF THIS PRODUCT MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD. WASH HANDS THOR- OUGHLY AFTER USE." 4. Any person, firm, corporation or association who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 dollars for each such violation. 5. The Commissioner may waive the provisions of this section in whole or in part upon finding by the commissioner in a particular instance that there is no significant threat to public health.
Read the full memo (624 words)
Section 2. Establishes the effective date.
Difference between original and amended version (if applicable)
Amended to include all SADLP that use lead as a fire-retardant.
Justification
Decorative and seasonal holiday lights have been shown to contain poten- tially unsafe levels of lead. Several independent studies, which followed the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) standard wipe test to see how much lead would come off on someone's hands, revealed that some brands contained more than 30 times the levels regulators permit in children's products. One 2008 study published in the Journal of Environmental Health, found that nearly all the light sets tested had levels that surpassed the Environmental Protection Agency's limit for windowsills and floors.
Exposure to lead has been repeatedly proven to be attributed to serious health problems - including attacks on the brain and central nervous system, heart and kidney disease, reduced fertility and depression - with severe consequences for children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no safe blood level concentration.
While federal law bans the sale and manufacture of lead in house paint and gasoline and New York enacts stringent limits only on paint on chil- dren's toys and furniture and some glazed tableware, the sale of most
other consumer products containing lead in the state are not as strictly regulated.
Holiday/decorative lights - the vast majority of them manufactured over- seas - have lead applied to wire covering to keep the plastic from cracking and acts as a flame retardant. This bill would require any products containing lead, sold in the State of New York, to have an explicit warning label advising that the product may expose the consumer to the substance with clear instructions to wash hands.
As lead is not readily absorbed through skin, the main worry regarding exposure stems from ingesting the traces that are left on the hands of a person after they have finished handling the lights. This legislation would afford much needed protection to the consumer from unnecessary high levels of lead through a simple warning label.
Prior legislative history
A. 4345 and S.4465 of 2017/2018
Similar to:
A. 5203 and S. 1712 of 2015/2016
A. 6938 and S. 2199 of 2013/2014
A. 1644 of 2011/2012
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
There are no fiscal implications associated with the passage of this legislation.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.