S397

The New York State Senate passed legislation Tuesday clarifying what constitutes false or misleading advertising directed at children, with a 48-14 vote on Calendar 511, Senate Print 397. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Myrie, aligns state law with Federal Trade Commission standards and gives courts and the Attorney General clearer guidance on enforcing advertising restrictions targeting minors. Myrie argued that children are particularly susceptible to advertising and cannot distinguish fact from exaggeration, citing research showing one-third of New York children are obese or overweight and corporations spend $14 billion annually on child-targeted advertising. The bill examines factors including subject matter, visual content, age of audience, and audio content when determining if advertising is misleading. Sen. Borrello led opposition, arguing the measure represents government overreach into parental responsibility and could generate frivolous litigation over obvious exaggerations like cereal being "magically delicious" or energy drinks giving wings. He suggested restricting SNAP benefits to healthy foods would be a more effective approach. Sen. Krueger countered that low-income families actually eat more healthily than wealthier families due to budget constraints, and that the bill addresses the real problem of corporate advertising driving children's consumption demands. The bill takes effect 30 days after becoming law.

The New York State Senate passed S397, sponsored by Sen. Cleare, directing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to conduct a study of transportation and housing needs on Randalls and Wards Islands. The bill passed on a roll call vote, 60-0. The measure, which takes effect immediately, received no recorded debate before passage.

The New York State Senate passed legislation directing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to study the transportation and housing needs of Randalls and Wards Islands. Senate Print 397, sponsored by Sen. Cleare, was approved on a roll call vote of 61-0. The bill takes effect immediately. No debate was recorded during floor consideration.