S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6517
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 25, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. KENNEDY -- 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:
 
   Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new  article  18-A  to
 read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 18-A
                 INDUSTRY TARGETED UNEMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE
 SECTION 645. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
         646. INDUSTRY TARGETED UNEMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE.
         647. TASK FORCE COMPOSITION.
         648. TASK FORCE DUTIES.
         649. REPORTING.
   §  645.  STATEMENT  OF  PURPOSE.  IT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE TO
 ENSURE:
   1. DURING TIMES OF LARGE  OVERALL  UNEMPLOYMENT,  INDIVIDUALS  WITHOUT
 EMPLOYMENT  ARE  AWARE  OF  THE VARIOUS JOB TRAINING AND JOB DEVELOPMENT
 PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO THEM;
   2. THAT VARIOUS JOB TRAINING AND JOB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED
 OR FUNDED BY THE STATE ARE PROMOTED IN  A  MATTER  THAT  TARGETS  FORMER
 EMPLOYEES  OF  INDUSTRIES  EXPERIENCING  HIGHER  LEVELS  OF UNEMPLOYMENT
 COMPARED TO THE OVERALL RATE; AND
   3. FORMER EMPLOYEES OF INDUSTRIES EXPERIENCING HIGH  LEVELS  OF  UNEM-
 PLOYMENT  ARE  ENROLLED  AND  COMPLETE  JOB TRAINING AND JOB DEVELOPMENT
 PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY IN AREAS THAT HAVE A DEMAND IN NECESSARY LABOR.
   § 646. INDUSTRY TARGETED UNEMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE. THE INDUSTRY TARGET-
 ED UNEMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE, REFERRED TO IN  THIS  ARTICLE  AS  THE  TASK
 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.
                                                            LBD04996-01-3
              

 S. 6517                             2
 
 MENT 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.
   § 647. TASK FORCE COMPOSITION. 1. THE TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF NINE
 MEMBERS;  ONE  OF WHO SHALL BE THE COMMISSIONER, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE,
 WHO SHALL SERVE AS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE TASK FORCE; FOUR MEMBERS SHALL
 BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, TWO OF WHOM SHALL BE REPRESENTATIVES OF  A
 LABOR  UNION  AND  TWO  OF  WHOM SHALL BE REPRESENTATIVES OF AN INDUSTRY
 EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF UNEMPLOYMENT TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE;  TWO
 MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, ONE
 OF WHOM SHALL BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF A LABOR UNION AND ONE OF WHOM SHALL
 BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF AN INDUSTRY EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF UNEMPLOY-
 MENT  TO  THE  EXTENT PRACTICABLE; AND TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY
 THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF  A
 LABOR  UNION  AND  ONE  OF WHOM SHALL BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF AN INDUSTRY
 EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF UNEMPLOYMENT TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE.
   2. THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL  RECEIVE  NO  COMPENSATION  FOR
 THEIR SERVICES, BUT SHALL BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES
 INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   §  648. TASK FORCE DUTIES. THE ROLE OF THE TASK FORCE INCLUDES, BUT IS
 NOT LIMITED TO:
   1. EXAMINING THE STATEWIDE UNEMPLOYMENT  RATE  BY  INDUSTRY,  AND  THE
 OVERALL  POOL OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS BY THEIR LAST INDUSTRY WORKED IN, TO
 DETERMINE WHAT INDUSTRIES HAVE HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT  THAN  THE  STATEWIDE
 AVERAGE; AND
   2. DEVELOPING AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO BE UTILIZED BY STATE AGENCIES FOR
 THE  UNEMPLOYED WORKERS OF INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF UNEMPLOY-
 MENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, JOB SEARCH RESOURCES,  JOB  TRAINING
 OPPORTUNITIES  IN  EMERGING INDUSTRIES, PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
 FOR THOSE PROGRAMS, ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND OTHER ITEMS  THAT
 WOULD ASSIST UNEMPLOYED WORKERS IN OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT.
   §  649.  REPORTING.  THE  TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE
 SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE TEMPO-
 RARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF  THE  SENATE  NO
 LESS  THAN  ANNUALLY WITH THE FIRST SUCH REPORT DUE SIX MONTHS AFTER THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ARTICLE, AND IT  SHALL  ADDITIONALLY  ISSUE  SUCH
 REPORTS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  AS  IT  DEEMS  NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT ITS
 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THE FINDINGS AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  IN  SUCH
 REPORTS  SHALL BE USED BY ALL STATE AGENCIES TO ADDRESS ANY UNEMPLOYMENT
 AND JOB ASSISTANCE OUTREACH AS APPLICABLE. ANY  SUCH  REPORTS  SHALL  BE
 MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed three years after such date.