Pressure Mounts on Governor Hochul to Veto S-1239
- Apr 29
- 1 min read
New York's S-1239 has cleared the legislature — and a coalition of industry, consumer, and food safety voices is now urging Governor Hochul to veto it before it becomes law.
The bill creates a duplicative state-level reporting mandate for ingredients already deemed safe under federal GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) standards. The cost: $21 million to the state in its first three years, an estimated $1.8 billion in added supply chain costs, and grocery prices that could rise 6% to 12% at the checkout line.
"This bill will create a new level of state bureaucracy on food producers, retailers, and distributors that duplicates existing federal oversight, costing $1.8 billion more to supply food and beverages to New Yorkers and hike grocery prices by 6% at the checkout line. Lawmakers should not be advancing a bill without explaining why they need to create an unnecessary bureaucratic burden when the cost of food is too high as it is." — Food Ingredient Safety Coalition
Four organizations are sounding the alarm — the Consumer Brands Association, New Yorkers for Safe and Affordable Groceries, the Food Ingredient Safety Coalition, and the Food Industry Alliance of New York State. Their shared message: S-1239 doesn't make food safer. It layers redundant bureaucracy on top of the rigorous federal standards already in place — and the people who pay for it are working New York families already stretched thin at the checkout.
The numbers tell a clear story. So do the voices behind them.
Read the full statements from each organization — and add your voice to the call for a veto.
---
Comments