New York lawmakers say a first-of-its-kind food safety bill aimed at increasing transparency and banning certain additives is on its way to becoming law after clearing both chambers of the Legislature.
State Sen. Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles announced passage of the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, legislation that would require companies to disclose more information about chemical ingredients in processed foods and prohibit several additives linked to health concerns.
The measure passed the Senate unanimously in March and later cleared the Assembly by a 106-32 vote. Supporters say it is designed to close longstanding regulatory gaps that have allowed some chemical additives to be used without full public disclosure under federal standards.
Under the legislation, food manufacturers would be required to report to state regulators any ingredients they classify internally as “generally recognized as safe,” along with the scientific basis for that determination. The state would then make that information publicly available.
The bill also bans three additives — Red Dye 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben — which supporters say have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, or other health risks.
Kavanagh, the bill’s prime sponsor in the Senate, said the measure is intended to give consumers more information about what is in their food and how safety decisions are made. Kelles, who sponsored the bill in the Assembly, said it addresses a system that has allowed companies to self-certify the safety of certain ingredients without notifying regulators or the public.
Advocacy groups and public health organizations also backed the legislation, arguing it would improve oversight and rebuild trust in the food supply. They pointed to what they describe as a lack of federal action on food chemical regulation and said the state is stepping in to fill that gap.
If signed into law, New York would become the first state to require this level of disclosure for food additives classified as safe by manufacturers, according to supporters. The measure now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul for consideration.
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