New York Children are Safer Thanks to New Laws

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Protecting our children is of imperative importance, and Governor Cuomo has recently recognized that with three new bills. All of the laws place additional responsibilities on manufacturers of children’s products, and those that have children in their care.

“It is about time laws such as these have been passed,” says Attorney Neal Goldstein of Goldstein & Bashner. “The safety of our children should be the biggest priority for everyone, particularly those that have such an impact on them. Violation of these laws will also make it easier to prove negligence, so affected families can claim the compensation they need in the event that the worst-case scenario happens.”

So, what exactly are the new laws?

The first is “Harper’s Law.” This law was named after three-year-old Harper Fried, who died after a piece of furniture tipped over on her. To prevent this from happening again, the legislation requires manufacturers of furniture to provide stabilizing devices. This will essentially make these “tip-proof.” While manufacturers often recommended that furniture be secured, they were not required to provide any means for doing so.

The second bill signed into law by Governor Cuomo follows the same idea of stabilizing and securing furniture. This law states that daycare centers and other childcare facilities ensure their furniture is stabilized and secured, to prevent it from tipping over and causing an accident involving the children.

Lastly, there is new legislation that bans the sale of crib bumper pads. These cushions were usually placed around the interior edges of the crib. They were largely for aesthetic purposes and did not have a practical purpose. Experts have suggested parents remove these from cribs, as they contribute to SIDS. Now, parents will no longer be able to even find these on store’s shelves.

Any law that helps protect people, particularly children that cannot protect themselves, is a good law. Hopefully, these new laws will prevent more tragedies throughout the state and help parents ensure their kids are kept safe.