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ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION

ASSEMBLY SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILD PRODUCT SAFETY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING


SUBJECT:

Toy Safety

PURPOSE:

To examine various toy safety issues, including the adequacy of the consumer product recall system and how the State can best protect children from hazardous toys.

NEW YORK CITY
Thursday
November 1, 2007
10:30 a.m.
250 Broadway
Assembly Hearing Room 1923, 19th Floor


Several major toy manufacturers have issued significant recalls of children's toys in recent months, including the recall of toys coated with paints containing excessive levels of lead and toys containing magnets, which can become dislodged and, if found by a child, swallowed or aspirated.

This hearing will examine various toy safety issues, including the adequacy of the consumer product recall system and how the State can best protect children from hazardous toys. A number of bills have been introduced in the Committee on Consumer Affairs seeking to regulate the manufacture and sale of certain toys (A.332, A.333, A.472, and A.5614). Legislation related to consumer product recalls has also been introduced (A.8440 and A.6865).

Please see the reverse side for a list of questions in response to which witnesses may direct their testimony.

Oral testimony will be limited to ten minute durations. Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements. Written testimony will also be accepted and may be sent to the contact persons listed on the reply form. In order to publicize the hearing further, please inform interested parties of the Committees' interest in receiving written testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Senate and Assembly, in accordance with their policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Senate and Assembly facilities and activities.


Assemblywoman Audrey I. Pheffer,
Chair, Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection


Assemblywoman Ginny Fields,
Chair, Subcommittee on Child Product Safety



SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

  1. Is the current consumer product recall system effective? Does the current system adequately ensure that potentially hazardous recalled toys are removed from the marketplace and made unavailable to children?

  2. To what extent are recalled products being sold at second-hand or thrift stores? What actions should the State take to ensure that recalled products are not sold at such stores?

  3. Should New York State require the labeling of toys containing magnets, as proposed in Assembly bill 5614? What actions should the State take to protect children from potentially hazardous toys?

  4. To what extent, if any, is New York State limited in its ability to regulate the manufacture and sale of toys by the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution or federal law or regulation?

  5. What actions have other States taken to protect children from hazardous toys? What actions have other States taken to ensure that consumers are notified of product recalls?



PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons interested in presenting testimony at the public hearing on Toy Safety to be held on November 1, 2007, or who wish to submit written testimony only, are requested to complete and return this reply form to:

Erin Cunningham
Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
Alfred E. Smith Office Building
80 South Swan St., Floor 22
Albany, New York 12248
Phone: (518) 455-4355
Fax: (518) 455-7250


box I plan to attend the public hearing on Toy Safety to be conducted by the Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection and the Assembly Subcommittee on Child Product Safety on November 1, 2007.

box I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to 10 minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.

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I will address my remarks to the following subjects:





box I do not plan to attend the above hearing.

box I would like to be added to the Committee mailing list for notices and reports.

box I would like to be removed from the Committee mailing list.

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I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:






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*** Click here for printable form ***


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