ZOOM: Lawmakers, CSPI, Advocates Celebrate Sweeping Food Reform Package, Urge Gov Hochul to Sign Into Law

ALBANY, NY (07/07/2026) (readMedia)-- On Wednesday, the Center for the Science in the Public Interest and leading health advocates will hold a virtual webinar with bill sponsors Senators Rivera, Kavanagh, and Hinchey, and Assemblymember Kelles celebrating the passage of a major food reform package that will strengthen consumer transparency and clean up New York's food supply, amid longstanding food safety gaps and a weakened FDA.

Key legislation awaiting Governor Hochul's signature includes:

• Good Food NY (S7638B/A8091B Hinchey/Peoples-Stokes) which will allow municipalities to engage in values-based food procurement and prioritize healthy, locally sourced and produced food over the lowest bid
• Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act (S1239F/A1556G Kavanagh/Kelles) which will ban harmful additives Red No. 3, propylparaben, and potassium bromate, plus mandate transparency requirements for chemicals used in foods
• Baby Food and Infant Formula Safety and Transparency Act (S8701A/A9026A Hinchey/Torres) which will mandate the testing of baby food and infant formula for toxic heavy metals and the disclosure of such test results
• Sodium Warning Bill (S428/A5207 Rivera/Reyes) which will require clear sodium warning icons on chain restaurant menus to ensure transparency
• Food Date Labeling Reform Act (S7618B/A7904B Hinchey/Reyes) which will establish uniform food date labels that clearly distinguish food safety from food quality, reducing consumer confusion, cutting food waste, and encouraging the donation of safe, edible food.

Food giants routinely flout the law to introduce harmful chemicals into the nation's food supply without adequate FDA oversight, a reality that HHS Secretary Kennedy Jr. and former FDA Commissioner Dr. Kessler have both affirmed. Consumer advocates have repeatedly found concerning levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury in baby food and infant formula, with no federal testing standard in sight. Meanwhile, more than 70% of American adults are alarmed about chemicals in the food supply and 5 in 6 want greater transparency from their leaders, yet "lowest responsible bidder" procurement laws still prevent municipalities from prioritizing healthier, locally sourced food for millions of New Yorkers. Facing outdated procurement laws and uneven access to healthy food, children and communities of color continue to battle aggressive fast food marketing and overexposure to high-sodium menu items linked to chronic diet-related diseases, including diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and heart disease.