New York State Assemblyman Tom Alfano announced the passage of legislation, as part of an agreement with Governor David Paterson and the Senate, to protect children by outlawing the sale of recalled toys and other products while mandating that retailers take steps to inform consumers of recalls. Alfano sponsored the measure with Consumer Protection Committee Chair Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer.

The bill, A11316A was sponsored by Assemblymembers Audrey Pheffer, Ginny Fields and Alfano; in the state Senate, the measure was sponsored by Senators Charles Fuschillo, Caesar Trunzo, John Flanagan, Serf Maltese, Frank Padavan, Ken LaValle, Mary Lou Rath and Jim Alesi.

The legislation also requires firms that manufacture children's products such as car seats, high chairs, cribs and playpens to provide a product safety card to the purchaser at the time of sale. These children's products would also be mandated to include labels detailing the manufacturers' and importers' names, contact information and batch numbers. The bill would also require secondhand dealers of children's products to provide notification to consumers emphasizing the need to check recall notices before purchasing a product.

"Child safety was our first and foremost goal in passing this bill, now parents will know who to call for information and where to go to get help. They'll also know what toys are made out of and what safety precautions they need to take in cases of emergency. When a parent is in a toy store, they will have access to the information they need to make a good buying decision," said Alfano.

"Our children are the future of New York and we must take whatever steps are necessary to protect them from dangerous toys," said Pheffer (D-Queens). "With this measure, parents will get more information about the toys they purchase right on the label, including the manufacturer's or importer's name and contact information. That will make it easier to get additional information about products and to avoid children using recalled or defective toys."

"I want to thank Senator Fuschillo, Governor Paterson, Speaker Silver and Assemblywoman Pheffer for their leadership. I'm very proud to be a part of this effort that puts the safety of our children first. This new law truly protects our young ones and gives parents and guardians the tools they need to keep children safe," Alfano concluded.