CSPI, Advocates, and Lawmakers Demand Food Safety Reform While Feds Fall Short

While federal oversight fails to adequately protect consumers, lawmakers, advocates, and legislative sponsors will urge Albany lawmakers to close glaring gaps in food safety and set national precedent

ALBANY, NY (05/06/2026) (readMedia)-- Today, state lawmakers, physicians, and community health advocates held a rally at the Capitol for a critical slate of food policy reforms designed to protect children and families across New York: the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, School Dyes Bill, Sodium Warning Bill, Sweet Truth Act, and Predatory Marketing Prevention Act. During the event, legislators and advocates highlighted everyday junk foods and deceptively marketed "health-washed" products that underscore how current policies leave New Yorkers exposed to misleading marketing, excessive sodium and sugar, and harmful chemical additives, amid insufficient federal regulation. At a time when nearly half a million New Yorkers face imminent loss of health coverage, and diet-related diseases continue to rise, these bills stand to lower surging healthcare costs.

View footage from the rally here.

Together, the legislation aims to enhance food safety through the following measures:

  • Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act (S1239F/A1556G Kavanagh/Kelles) which will mandate transparency requirements for chemicals used in foods and ban harmful additives Red No. 3, propylparaben, and potassium bromate (Passed Senate and Assembly, awaiting action by the Governor)
  • School Dyes Bill (S3214A/A8707A Kavanagh/Kelles) which will ban seven harmful synthetic dyes in school meals served statewide (in Senate Education Committee, in Assembly Education Committee)
  • Predatory Marketing Prevention Act (S397A/A2584A Myrie/Reyes) which will restrict misleading targeted food and beverage marketing aimed at children and adolescents (in Senate Finance Committee, on Assembly floor)
  • Sodium Warning Bill (S428A/A5207A Rivera/Reyes) which will require clear sodium warning icons on chain restaurant menus to ensure transparency and help consumers make informed choices (Passed Senate, in Assembly Health Committee)
  • Sweet Truth Act (S427/A5305 Rivera/Reyes) which will require clear added sugar warning icons on chain restaurant menus, and extend the protections from NYC's existing Sweet Truth Act to families statewide (in Senate Agriculture Committee, in Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee)

Around the country, major food and beverage companies spend billions annually on aggressive marketing, often targeting children and communities of color. In New York, these same communities frequently have a higher concentration of fast food restaurants, where menu items are highly processed and contain dangerously high levels of sugar and sodium - all linked to stroke, hypertension, and heart disease, some of New York's leading causes of death. In a recent letter to Albany lawmakers, former New York State and New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett endorsed the Sodium Warning Bill, Sweet Truth Act, and Predatory Marketing Prevention Act as solutions to help close existing health disparities for New Yorkers.

HHS Secretary Kennedy Jr. and former FDA Commissioner Dr. Kessler have further warned that food giants are flouting the law to introduce health-harming chemicals into the nation's food supply without adequate FDA oversight. According to new data from the Pew Research Center, more than 70% of American adults are already concerned about dangerous chemicals in the nation's food supply and 5 in 6 want greater transparency from their leaders.

"What we eat should never be a gamble, but for far too many New Yorkers, this is the current reality. As children and families shoulder disproportionate, costly health burdens, the need for transparency has never been higher. Food safety concerns are growing nationwide, but Washington keeps bending to industry instead of answering to the public. Right now, Albany has a chance to lead with science-backed policies that rein in deceptive marketing, ensure transparency, and put public health first. We are urging the State Legislature to prioritize these bills and build a safer, more equitable food system for all New Yorkers," said Dr. DeAnna Nara, CSPI Campaign Manager.

"Limiting our daily sodium and sugar intake is critical to preventing heart disease and other health conditions," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Chair of the Health Committee. "While I am very proud that my sodium warning bill passed the Senate yesterday, I must call on my colleagues in the Assembly to help New Yorkers make informed decisions about their food when visiting chain restaurants in our State. Families deserve straightforward information about the food they are purchasing and consuming. I will continue to advocate for initiatives that foster informed decision-making so that New Yorkers can make healthier choices for themselves and their families."

"New York kids are up against billion dollar junk food corporations who prey on their vulnerabilities. Our young people face lifelong health disparities and shorter lifespans as a result. The PMPA would help level the playing field and give our kids a fighting chance against deceptive and predatory marketing," said Senator Zellnor Myrie, prime sponsor of the Predatory Marketing Prevention Act.

"New Yorkers deserve to know that their food is safe to eat. While the multi-billion dollar food industry pushes federal legislation that attempts to gut food safety laws across the country, I am proud to stand with my colleagues to protect New Yorkers. The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, which passed the Senate and the Assembly with broad bipartisan support, would close a longstanding loophole that has let companies hide potentially harmful chemicals from regulators and consumers alike; New York would be the first state in America to take this crucial step. The School Dyes bill would ensure that children aren't served foods at school with artificial colors that have been shown to affect behavior and attention, in an environment where those things are most essential. Enacting these protections will allow New Yorkers to better understand what goes into processed foods and reduce the risk of harm to our health that we face all too often when we eat what the food industry is selling," said Senator Brian Kavanagh, prime Senate sponsor of the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act and the School Dyes Bill.

"New Yorkers are facing rising rates of chronic disease and skyrocketing healthcare costs. These two issues are interlinked and children are increasingly at the center of the crisis," said Dr. Charles Moon, MD FAAP, co-chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee for the New York State Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "More kids are developing preventable diet-related conditions earlier in life, which drives long-term health risks and rising costs for families and the state. Giving New Yorkers clearer information about what they eat and restricting harmful additives will save lives and reduce costs. That's why the NYS AAP urges the legislature to prioritize community health and pass this commonsense legislation before session ends."

BACKGROUND

Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act (S1239F/A1556G): Ends the secrecy of a federal loophole that allows companies to self-designate their ingredients as "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS without adequate FDA oversight. The bill restricts the use of three harmful additives - linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive toxicity - in foods sold statewide and requires companies to disclose evidence confirming the safety of food chemicals that bypass the FDA's safety review. By mandating transparency requirements for chemical use in foods and eliminating additives, the bill aims to improve health outcomes and protect New York consumers from health harms like cancer and developmental delays.

School Dyes Bill (S3214A/A8707A): Bans seven synthetic dyes, linked to hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and other behavioral problems in some children, from school foods. New York City children already have this protection, and extending this safeguard statewide complements the Universal School Meals Program, helping ensure that all students receive safe, nutritious food that supports learning and development.

Sodium Warning Bill (S428A/A5207A): Empowers New Yorkers to make informed choices when dining out. This bill requires chain restaurants to display warning icons next to menu items containing more than the daily recommended sodium limit of 2,300 milligrams. By providing clear, accessible information to diners, the legislation aims to reduce sodium intake across the population, help address rates of chronic disease, and improve public health outcomes.

Sweet Truth Act (S427/A5305): Empowers New Yorkers to make informed choices when dining out. The bill requires chain restaurants to display warning icons next to menu items that exceed the daily recommended added sugars limit, much like existing calorie counts and the City Council's 2023 Sweet Truth Act, and seeks to protect New Yorkers from a number of diet-driven conditions, including rising rates of diabetes.

Predatory Marketing Prevention Act aka PMPA (S397A/A2584A): Strengthens existing consumer protections by explicitly defining and restricting misleading targeted marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children and adolescents. The legislation builds on New York's existing false advertising laws, ensuring that youth are not unfairly manipulated into consuming ultra-processed products that negatively impact long-term health.

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