Bill > A05207

This bill requires chain restaurants, defined as food service establishments with fifteen or more locations in New York operating under the same name and offering similar menu items, to clearly indicate on their menus or menu boards which standard menu items, including combination meals, exceed the daily recommended limit for sodium. A "chain menu developer" is responsible for determining recipes and will be required to report sodium content to the state every ninety days. The state's Department of Health will develop a specific icon and accompanying text to be displayed next to these high-sodium items, along with a warning statement explaining the health risks associated with high sodium intake, such as increased blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke. This requirement will take effect two years after the bill's enactment, with the department providing guidance on compliance within one year. The bill also mandates a report six years after enactment to assess the impact of these changes on food reformulation and consumer behavior, and allows for exemptions if a menu item already has a similar sodium warning label from another jurisdiction. Violations can result in civil penalties of up to $250 per day for each non-compliant location.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5207