Senate Bill S592A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    592
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. HINCHEY, ASHBY, BORRELLO, CLEARE, MAY, ROLISON, WEBB
   -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
   the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
   lishing the New York state youth in agriculture  and  entrepreneurship
   summer employment program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a  new
 article 29-A to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 29-A
      NEW YORK STATE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMER
                            EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
 SECTION 525. LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND FINDINGS.
         526. DEFINITIONS.
         527.  NEW  YORK  STATE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
                SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM.
         528. COMMISSIONER'S POWER AND DUTIES.
   § 525. LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND FINDINGS. THE LEGISLATURE  HEREBY  FINDS
 THAT  DIVERSIFYING  THE  AGRICULTURAL  INDUSTRY ADDRESSES ISSUES OF FOOD
 INSECURITY AND FOOD ACCESS IN THE STATE. THE LEGISLATURE  FURTHER  FINDS
 THAT  THERE  ARE  CERTAIN  CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FOODS IN THE STATE AND
 SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE THE CONTINUANCE OF PRODUCTION OF SUCH  FOODS  AND  TO
 GENERATE  AN  INTEREST  IN THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH FOODS BY FUTURE GENER-
 ATIONS OF PERSONS WORKING IN AGRICULTURE. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY  ESTAB-
 LISHES  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
 SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM  TO  ALLOW  STUDENTS  THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO  BE
 EDUCATED  ON  THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS AND
 TO ATTAIN ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCE. THE LEGISLATURE  ALSO  ESTABLISHES
 THIS  PROGRAM  TO  SUBSIDIZE  YOUTH  EMPLOYMENT  FOR  FARMS AND FARMERS'
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01740-01-5
 S. 592                              2
 
 MARKETS THAT COULD OTHERWISE PARTICIPATE IN THE  PROGRAM  IF  THE  WAGES
 WERE  NOT  A HARDSHIP.   IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE LEGISLATION THAT THE
 NEW YORK STATE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMER  EMPLOY-
 MENT  PROGRAM  SERVES  AS  A STEPPING STONE FOR SUCH YOUTH IN CAREERS IN
 AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE FARMERS MEANS TO
 PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
   § 526. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
   1. "MINORITY OR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED" MEANS A  GROUP  WHOSE  MEMBERS
 HAVE  BEEN  SUBJECTED  TO RACIAL, ETHNIC, OR GENDER PREJUDICE BECAUSE OF
 THEIR IDENTITY AS MEMBERS OF A GROUP WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR  INDIVIDUAL
 QUALITIES  OR  CITIZENSHIP  STATUS.  THESE  GROUPS  INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT
 LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) AFRICAN AMERICANS;
   (B) NATIVE INDIANS;
   (C) ALASKAN NATIVES;
   (D) HISPANICS;
   (E) ASIAN AMERICANS; AND,
   (F) NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS.
   2. "LOW INCOME OR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED" MEANS  HAVING  A  FAMILY
 INCOME  THAT  DOES  NOT  EXCEED ONE HUNDRED FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL
 POVERTY LEVEL, INCLUDING BEING A CHILD OF A WORKING MIGRATORY FAMILY  OR
 AN  AGRICULTURAL  WORKER  WHO  IS EMPLOYED BY MORE THAN ONE AGRICULTURAL
 EMPLOYER DURING THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND WHOSE INCOME  VARIES  ACCORDING
 TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MARKET STABILITY.
   3. "QUALIFYING BUSINESS" MEANS A FARMERS MARKET, MOBILE MARKET, COMMU-
 NITY  SUPPORTED  AGRICULTURE, COOPERATIVE, OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS
 STRUCTURE THAT PROVIDES NEW YORK GROWN  AND  RAISED  FOODS  DIRECTLY  TO
 CONSUMERS AS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   4.  "QUALIFYING FARM" MEANS A SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED FARM OR URBAN FARM
 PARTICIPATING IN A QUALIFYING BUSINESS.
   5. "AGRICULTURAL WORK" MEANS WORK PERFORMED MAINTAINING CROPS OR TEND-
 ING LIVESTOCK.
   6. "ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORK EXPERIENCE" MEANS EXPERIENCE  THAT  AIMS  TO
 DEVELOP  SKILLS  DEEMED  NECESSARY  TO SUCCEED IN THE DESIGN, LAUNCH AND
 RUNNING OF A NEW BUSINESS.
   7. "SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT" MEANS ANY EMPLOYMENT THROUGH THE  NEW  YORK
 STATE  YOUTH  IN  AGRICULTURE  AND  ENTREPRENEURSHIP  SUMMER  EMPLOYMENT
 PROGRAM FOR WHICH ANY  COSTS  ASSOCIATED  WITH    PARTICIPATION  IN  THE
 PROGRAM, INCLUDING WAGES AND TRANSPORTATION, ARE PAID BY THE STATE OR BY
 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
   § 527. NEW YORK STATE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMER
 EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE DEPARTMENT THE
 NEW  YORK STATE YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMER EMPLOY-
 MENT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE EDUCATED  ON
 THE  AGRICULTURAL  INDUSTRY  AND ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS AND TO PROVIDE
 AGRICULTURAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORK EXPERIENCE.
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH APPLICATION CRITERIA THAT  REQUIRE
 QUALIFYING  BUSINESSES  AND  QUALIFYING FARMS TO PROVIDE UNSUBSIDIZED OR
 SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT AS FOLLOWS:
   (A) UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT:
   (I) DEMONSTRATE THAT SUCH BUSINESS OR FARM CAN PROVIDE  STUDENTS  WITH
 BOTH AGRICULTURAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORK EXPERIENCE;
   (II) PAY WAGES TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN AN AMOUNT THAT IS ABOVE MINIMUM
 WAGE;
 S. 592                              3
 
   (III)  PROVIDE  TRANSPORTATION  TO AND FROM THE QUALIFYING BUSINESS OR
 QUALIFYING FARM OR TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION COMPENSATION TO THE  ELIGI-
 BLE STUDENT; AND
   (IV)  PROVIDE  ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WITH A MINIMUM OF SIXTEEN HOURS AND A
 MAXIMUM OF NO MORE THAN FORTY HOURS OF WORK PER WEEK.
   (B) SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT:
   (I) DEMONSTRATE THAT SUCH BUSINESS OR FARM CAN PROVIDE  STUDENTS  WITH
 BOTH AGRICULTURAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORK EXPERIENCE;
   (II)  ESTABLISH  A  HARDSHIP  TO  PAY WAGES TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN AN
 AMOUNT THAT IS ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE;
   (III) DEMONSTRATE A HARDSHIP TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO  AND    FROM
 THE  QUALIFYING   BUSINESS   OR QUALIFYING FARM OR A HARDSHIP TO PROVIDE
 TRANSPORTATION COMPENSATION TO THE ELIGIBLE STUDENT; AND
   (IV) PROVIDE ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WITH A MINIMUM OF SIXTEEN  HOURS  AND A
 MAXIMUM OF NO MORE THAN FORTY HOURS OF WORK PER WEEK.
   § 528. COMMISSIONER'S POWERS AND DUTIES. THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL  HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING POWERS AND DUTIES WITH REGARDS TO THE NEW YORK STATE YOUTH
 IN AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM:
   1. TO PROMULGATE GRANTS AS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT
 OF THIS PROGRAM AS SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE.
   2. TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL GRANTS TO HELP FUND THE PROGRAM.
   3.  IN  CONSULTATION  AND  COOPERATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL
 SERVICES, THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHER
 EDUCATION SERVICES  CORPORATION,  TO  PERFORM  OUTREACH  TO  ENSURE  THE
 PROGRAM  IS  KNOWN  AND AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHO ARE SOCIALLY DISADVAN-
 TAGED OR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
   4. TO ESTABLISH A WEBSITE FOR THE  PROGRAM  WHICH  INCLUDES  A  PORTAL
 WHERE  STUDENTS  MAY  APPLY FOR JOBS AND WHERE QUALIFYING BUSINESSES AND
 QUALIFYING FARMS MAY CONNECT AND WHICH  PROVIDES  PROMOTIONAL  MATERIALS
 ABOUT  THE  PROGRAM IN A PDF FORMAT THAT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND PRINT-
 ABLE BY ORGANIZATIONS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
   5. TO INCLUDE ANNUAL OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS  THAT  START  AT  LEAST  THREE
 MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  THE DATE WHEN APPLICATIONS FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAM ARE
 FIRST ABLE TO BE SUBMITTED. SUCH CAMPAIGNS  SHALL  INCLUDE  OUTREACH  TO
 SCHOOLS,  NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, QUALIFYING BUSINESSES AND QUALIFYING
 FARMS. SUCH OUTREACH SHALL BE PERFORMED IN A VARIETY OF METHODS, INCLUD-
 ING A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN.
   6. TO CREATE AN INFORMATIONAL  PACKET  FOR  STUDENTS  ON  AGRICULTURAL
 OPPORTUNITIES  IN HIGHER EDUCATION INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INFOR-
 MATION ON THE AVAILABILITY OF SCHOLARSHIPS,  STUDENT  LOAN  FORGIVENESS,
 AND GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO CREATE AND ESTABLISH FARMS.
   7.  TO  ESTABLISH A SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR QUALIFYING FARMS
 AND QUALIFYING  BUSINESSES  THAT  COULD  OTHERWISE  PARTICIPATE  IN  THE
 PROGRAM IF PAYING WAGES WERE NOT A HARDSHIP.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.