Bill
A 1556
Mandates disclosure, testing, and labeling of chemicals in food production and packaging to boost transparency and public health, affecting producers, retailers, and regulators.
Status snapshot
- Bill No.: A1556 (introduced 2025‑01‑10)
- Short title: “Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act”
- Primary sponsor: Anna Kelles (with many cosponsors)
- Procedural status: Substituted by S1239E (6/17/2025). Reported and advanced through Agriculture, Codes, and Rules; ordered to third reading prior to substitution. Multiple amended/printed versions: A1556A–E. Reference changed to Ways and Means on 6/11/2025 before substitution.
- Related/companion: S1239 (Senate companion); A6424 (prior session).
Note about source material
- The uploaded version of the bill was not machine‑readable: the file contents were embedded as PDF streams that could not be parsed for statutory language. The summary below therefore (A) states the bill’s stated purpose as shown in its title, (B) records the bill’s legislative progress and sponsors, and (C) outlines the types of provisions and likely impacts that commonly appear under a legislative title of this kind. For authoritative, operative text refer to the substituted Senate version S1239E or the enacted statutory language (when available).
Purpose / intent
- The bill’s short title — the “Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act” — indicates the Legislature’s intent to promote food safety and transparency by requiring disclosure and/or management of chemicals associated with food production, processing, packaging, or sale. The focus implied by the title is increased public information about chemical use and strengthened regulatory controls to protect public health and environment.
Key subject areas likely covered (based on the title and typical policy practice)
- Chemical disclosure and labeling: requirements for producers/processors/retailers to disclose certain chemicals used in production, processing, treatment, packaging, or storage of foods (e.g., additives, processing aids, sanitizers, packaging chemicals).
- Notification and public reporting: obligations to report chemical use or test results to a state agency and/or to publish lists/databases accessible to consumers.
- Testing and standards: authority for the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture & Markets, or another designated agency to set testing protocols, permissible levels, or prohibited chemicals in food or packaging.
- Restrictions or phase‑outs: prohibitions or phased limits on specified high‑risk chemicals (e.g., persistent, bioaccumulative, or toxic substances) in food contact materials or agricultural inputs.
- Labeling requirements: mandates for on‑product or point‑of‑sale labels disclosing chemical treatments or residues.
- Enforcement and penalties: civil penalties, corrective action orders, recordkeeping duties, and inspection authority for state agencies.
- Small business considerations: possible exemptions, phased compliance periods, or technical assistance provisions to reduce burdens on small farms/processors.
Who would be affected
- Food producers and growers (farms, nurseries) using chemical inputs.
- Food processors and manufacturers (use of additives, processing aids, treatments).
- Packaging manufacturers and distributors.
- Retailers, food service (restaurants, cafeterias), and wholesale distributors.
- State regulatory agencies (likely Department of Agriculture & Markets, Department of Health) — responsible for implementation, rulemaking, testing, and enforcement.
- Consumers and public health stakeholders — benefit from increased transparency and potentially reduced exposure to harmful chemicals.
Potential impacts (expected)
- Transparency and consumer information gains: better consumer awareness of chemical treatments, residues, or packaging chemicals.
- Public health benefits: potential reduction of exposure to hazardous chemicals if restrictions/testing are implemented.
- Compliance costs: new reporting, testing, labeling, or reformulation costs for businesses (varies by size and sector).
- Administrative demands: increased workload for implementing agencies (rulemaking, inspections, data management).
- Market shifts: potential substitution toward safer inputs, reformulated packaging, and increased demand for certified/chemical‑free products.
Procedural/timeline notes
- A1556 underwent multiple amendments (A–E printings) and committee referrals: introduced to Agriculture (1/10/2025), amended and recommitted several times, reported to Codes and later Ways and Means, and reported to Rules and ordered to third reading. On 6/17/2025 the Assembly bill was officially substituted by S1239E (Senate version), which should be consulted for the current text and final language.
Recommendation for readers
- For the definitive provisions and regulatory details, consult the substituted Senate version S1239E (the latest enacted/printed text), or the bill text as posted on the New York State Legislature website. If you want, I can retrieve and summarize S1239E (or compare A1556 and S1239E) once the machine‑readable text of those versions is available.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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