BILL NUMBER: S6646
SPONSOR: RAMOS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to requiring the commissioner
of labor to prepare an annual report on the cost of living, poverty
rates and adequacy of the current minimum wage in the state
 
PURPOSE:
To require the Commissioner of the Department of Labor to prepare an
annual report on the state's cost of living, poverty rates, and the
adequacy of the current minimum wage.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Section 21 of the labor law is amended by adding a new subdi-
vision 16. This addition mandates the Department of Labor shall produce
a report to analyze the change in living costs, changes in poverty and
child poverty for households that include one or more workers, and the
adequacy of the minimum wage. The report shall also compare the current
and projected future value of the state's various region-based minimum
wage levels with the minimum wages in other high-cost states. This
report shall be produced annually by the 13th of September and distrib-
uted to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker
of the assembly, and the chairs of the labor committees.
Section 2. The act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In New York State, roughly one million workers--16.4% of New York
State's workforce- earn the minimum wage. The State has an obligation to
ensure the legislature has access to accurate data on the cost of living
and the adequacy of the current minimum wage.
Historically, yearly gains in inflation have decreased the value of the
minimum wage, chipping away at workers' purchasing power and leading to
hardship for many. Each year that inflation increases and wages at the
bottom do not, workers in the lowest-paying positions struggle to pay
bills, feed their families, and access transportation. Across the state,
minimum wage workers are disproportionately women and people of color,
groups that also face significant barriers to advancement.
This bill mandates the Department of Labor, by September 13th, to
prepare and submit an annual report on the cost of living, poverty
rates, and minimum wage. The cost of living shall be measured and
analyzed using various available cost of living measures, and the data
will be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability
status, household size, and education level for each of four regions of
the state.
 
FISCAL IMPACT:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S6646: 21 labor law