S 5351: Establishes the industry targeted unemployment task force for the purpose of concentrating unemployment assistance, job training, and job development assistance during times of high unemployment to individuals who have previously been employed by an industry that is experiencing unemployment rates higher than the statewide average.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5351 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 20, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to establishing the industry targeted unemployment task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new article 18-A to 2 read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 18-A 4 INDUSTRY TARGETED UNEMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE 5 Section 645. Statement of purpose. 6 646. Industry targeted unemployment task force. 7 647. Task force composition. 8 648. Task force duties. 9 649. Reporting. 10 § 645. Statement of purpose. It is the purpose of this article to 11 ensure: 12 1. During times of large overall unemployment, individuals without 13 employment are aware of the various job training and job development 14 programs available to them; 15 2. That various job training and job development programs administered 16 or funded by the state are promoted in a matter that targets former 17 employees of industries experiencing higher levels of unemployment 18 compared to the overall rate; and 19 3. Former employees of industries experiencing high levels of unem- 20 ployment are enrolled and complete job training and job development 21 programs, specifically in areas that have a demand in necessary labor. 22 § 646. Industry targeted unemployment task force. The industry target- 23 ed unemployment task force, referred to in this article as the task 24 force, is hereby established for the purpose of concentrating unemploy- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09524-01-5 
 S. 5351 2 1 ment assistance, job training, and job development assistance during 2 times of high unemployment to individuals who have previously been 3 employed by an industry that is experiencing unemployment rates higher 4 than the statewide average. 5 § 647. Task force composition. 1. The task force shall consist of nine 6 members; one of who shall be the commissioner, or such commissioner's 7 designee, who shall serve as the chairperson of the task force; four 8 members shall be appointed by the governor, two of whom shall be repre- 9 sentatives of a labor union and two of whom shall be representatives of 10 an industry experiencing high levels of unemployment to the extent prac- 11 ticable; two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of 12 the senate, one of whom shall be a representative of a labor union and 13 one of whom shall be a representative of an industry experiencing high 14 levels of unemployment to the extent practicable; and two members shall 15 be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one of whom shall be a 16 representative of a labor union and one of whom shall be a represen- 17 tative of an industry experiencing high levels of unemployment to the 18 extent practicable. 19 2. The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for 20 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 21 incurred in the performance of their duties. 22 § 648. Task force duties. The role of the task force includes, but is 23 not limited to: 24 1. Examining the statewide unemployment rate by industry, and the 25 overall pool of unemployed persons by their last industry worked in, to 26 determine what industries have higher unemployment than the statewide 27 average; and 28 2. Developing an outreach program to be utilized by state agencies for 29 the unemployed workers of industries that have high levels of unemploy- 30 ment, including but not limited to, job search resources, job training 31 opportunities in emerging industries, payment and financial assistance 32 for those programs, entrepreneurial opportunities, and other items that 33 would assist unemployed workers in obtaining employment. 34 § 649. Reporting. The task force shall report to the governor, the 35 speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the assembly, the tempo- 36 rary president of the senate and the minority leader of the senate no 37 less than annually with the first such report due six months after the 38 effective date of this article, and it shall additionally issue such 39 reports and recommendations as it deems necessary to carry out its 40 duties and responsibilities. The findings and recommendations in such 41 reports shall be used by all state agencies to address any unemployment 42 and job assistance outreach as applicable. Any such reports shall be 43 made publicly available on the website of the department. 44 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 45 deemed repealed 3 years after such date.