New York Assembly Bill A11351

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

Caption

Enacts the "CALM act" relating to commercial advertisement volume

Summary

This bill would enact the “CALM act” in New York’s General Business Law to regulate the volume of commercial advertisements on video streaming services. It defines “video streaming service” broadly to cover internet-based services that deliver video programming or other video content directly to consumers, while excluding broadcast television stations, cable operators, multichannel video programming distributors, and services that do not carry commercial ads. The core requirement is that streaming services operating in New York may not transmit the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content they accompany. The bill ties this standard to the Federal Communications Commission’s existing commercial loudness mitigation rules for television and cable, effectively extending a similar volume-control expectation to streaming platforms. The law would take effect 90 days after becoming law.

Impact

The bill would add a new section 392-m to the General Business Law, creating a state-level consumer protection rule for ad loudness on streaming platforms. It would impose civil penalties of up to $250 for a first violation and up to $500 for subsequent violations, giving the state an enforcement mechanism against noncompliant providers. The measure would primarily affect video streaming services that run commercial advertisements in New York, while leaving traditional broadcast and cable entities outside its scope.

Sentiment

The available record shows limited formal debate or voting history, so there is no documented opposition or support from committee discussion. Based on the bill’s structure, it appears aimed at a consumer-friendly, noncontroversial advertising standard modeled on existing federal rules. Its committee referral and lack of recorded votes suggest it was still in the early stages of consideration.

Contention

The main policy issue is whether New York should regulate ad volume on streaming services and how broadly those services should be defined. Potential points of contention include the burden on streaming providers to monitor and adjust ad audio levels, the exclusion of broadcast and cable entities, and whether the state should mirror federal loudness standards for a medium not yet covered by the same rules. No specific objections or sponsors’ remarks are included in the available materials.