A 6958: Enacts the "sweatshop-free college apparel act" which requires institutions in the state of New York establish a sweat-free code of conduct in line with labor standards established by the Workers Right Consortium.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6958 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY March 18, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. RAGA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "sweatsh- op-free college apparel act" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "sweatshop-free college apparel act". 3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 207-c to 4 read as follows: 5 § 207-c. Sweat-free code of conduct. 1. Definitions. For the purposes 6 of this section, the term "institution" shall mean any degree-granting 7 entity, including colleges, universities, and other post-secondary 8 educational entities, authorized to operate in the state of New York by 9 the department. Such institutions shall include, but not be limited to, 10 institutions chartered by the regents, incorporated by a special act of 11 the legislature, or otherwise permitted to maintain a campus or offer 12 educational programs within the state of New York. 13 2. Adoption and implementation of code of conduct. Each institution 14 shall adopt and implement a sweat-free code of conduct for the purchase 15 and licensing of apparel by such institutions as part of its operational 16 policies and ensure compliance, including provisions for enforcement and 17 remediation of any violations of such code of conduct. The sweat-free 18 code of conduct shall meet or exceed the labor standards established by 19 the Workers Right Consortium (WRC) Model Code of Conduct. Each institu- 20 tion shall also affiliate with the WRC and participate in a designated 21 supplier program to effectively enforce such code of conduct provisions. 22 3. Reporting requirements. The department shall submit preliminary and 23 final reports to the governor and the legislature, listing institution 24 in compliance with such institution's sweat-free code of conduct, those 25 affiliated with the WRC, and details on non-compliant purchasing and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD04129-01-5 
 A. 6958 2 1 licensing agreements with apparel manufacturers, including such licens- 2 ing agreement's expiration date. Further, the chief executive officer of 3 any non-compliant institution shall submit a detailed explanation on why 4 such institution is not in compliance with such institution's code of 5 conduct or has not established a code of conduct and a timeline for full 6 compliance to the department, to be included in the reports submitted to 7 the governor and the legislature. 8 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 215-e to 9 read as follows: 10 § 215-e. Annual reporting for sweat-free code of conduct. 1. Annual 11 reports to the department. Each institution shall submit an annual 12 report to the department detailing such institution's compliance with 13 the code of conduct such institution established pursuant to section two 14 hundred seven-c of this part, including violations, corrective actions 15 taken and efforts to align apparel licensing practices with ethical 16 labor standards. Institutions shall make these annual compliance reports 17 publicly available on such institution's website no later than the first 18 day of August of each year for the preceding school year. 19 2. Annual reports to the governor and the legislature. The department 20 shall prepare and submit an annual report to the governor and the legis- 21 lature, listing all institutions in compliance with a sweat-free code of 22 conduct established pursuant to section two hundred seven-c of this 23 part, including information on non-compliant purchasing and licensing 24 agreements with apparel manufacturers. Such report shall be made public- 25 ly available on the same page as the departments publicly available 26 education data. 27 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.