BILL NUMBER: S377
SPONSOR: BROUK
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act relating to establishing an annual cost of living adjustment for
designated human services programs
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill will permanently incorporate a cost of living adjustment for
designated human services programs and employees to correct the decade
long underinvestment in this field and provide needed workforce invest-
ments.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 will have the Director of the Budget, the commissioners of the
Office of Mental Health, the Office for People with Developmental Disa-
bilities, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Office of
Temporary And Disability Assistance, the Office of Children and Family
Services, and the State Office for the Aging establish an annual cost of
living adjustment effective beginning April 1, 2025 and future State
fiscal years in an amount equal to the consumer price index-urban
(CPI-U) from the previous July published by the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Section 2 of this bill is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State's historic 2022-2023 budget included a 5.4 percent cost
of living adjustment for human service workers. This adjustment was set
to be given over 2 years. While this cost of living adjustment was a
step in the right direction, it was not a step far enough.
The human service industry has long been languishing in New York, where
it saw a 17 year drought without a meaningful cost of living adjustment,
nor the proper investments across the board. If wages had continually
been prioritized and funded, many in this industry would see a 30%
increase in earnings from 17 years ago. But that is sadly not the case.
New York human services are facing even more challenges now than they
did even a year ago. The workforce shortage-created in part by the lack
of good paying jobs-heavily cuts into the industry. There is close to a
40% turnover rate in New York, and there is sometimes a 25% vacancy rate
in positions statewide. This paired with rising inflation and a lack of
workforce protections means the human services industry has to contin-
ually ask for more money and higher wages every year just to stay
afloat. Inflation alone this year made the historic 5.4% increase almost
negligible. The adjustments need to be set and secured for years to
come.
Removing the cost of living adjustment for human service workers out of
the annual budget discussion, and making sure it is always tied to the
consumer price index means the industry can begin to combat the work-
force shortage. This will give those who are employed in the industry a
positive outlook on the future, provide the security of a rising wage,
and begin to correct the decades long underinvestment to one of our most
important industries.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: S9615 - Referred to Rules.
2023-24: S1291 - Referred to Finance.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been
in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2025.