Keeping our families healthy

Ensuring our children have access to quality health care and promoting healthy eating habits will help our kids grow into healthy young adults. That’s why Assemblyman Phil Ramos:

• Fought for a state budget that expands Child Health Plus, providing coverage to New York’s 400,000 uninsured children – and now he’s fighting President Bush’s attempt to block states from expanding health care;

• Sponsored the Healthy Schools Act (A.8698), establishing nutritional and dietary standards for food, snacks and beverage that are available in schools; and

• Secured $8,000 for PRONTO of Long Island, Inc. to operate prescription drug programs for families in Suffolk County.

Keeping our kids safe

This year, the Legislature and governor came together to create tough, new laws to protect our children. Leading the way, Ramos:

• Sponsored the civil commitment law (Ch. 7 of 2007), keeping the most dangerous sexual predators off our streets;

• Sponsored legislation to protect our children from Internet predators, making soliciting a minor with sexually explicit text on the Internet a felony punishable by up to 7 years in prison (Ch. 8 of 2007); and

• Secured $2,000 for the Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk, Inc. to promote prevention and provide counseling to victims of violence and sexual abuse.

Partial List of Recalled Toys

• RC2 Corporation has recalled approximately 1.5 million “Thomas and Friends” wooden railway trains. Information about the RC2 recall is available on the Web at www.recalls.rc2.com.

• Fisher Price has recalled approximately 967,000 toys including Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer.

• Mattel has also recalled approximately 253,000 toy “Sarge” cars for lead.

• In 2006, Mattel recalled various Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets because the magnets can come loose and pose a choking hazard.

• Other recalls include toys based on the movie “Cars,” Barbie dolls, Batman action figures and Elmo.

Information regarding the Fisher Price and Mattel recall can be found online at www.mattel.com/safety/us

Magnetix Magnetic Building Set has expanded a March 2006 recall to include 4 million units. The recall includes all sets, except newer Magnetix sets sold since March 31, 2006 that are age-labeled 6+ and sets that contain a caution label warning against ingesting or inhaling the magnets.

To find out if your child’s toys have been recalled:

• Parents are encouraged to register with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Web site (www.recalls.gov) for free e-mail alerts about future product recalls or call the commission toll-free at 1-800-638-2772. State Consumer Protection Board: Available online at www.consumer.state.ny.us.

• Contact the State Department of Health: www.nyhealth.gov/environmental/lead/recalls/index.htm. For environmental health information from the State Department of Health, call 1-800-458-1158.

• Consumers without Internet access, information on the Mattel recall is available by calling the CPB at 1-800-697-1220.