Senate Bill S9141

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9141
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RAMOS  -- 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  the  establishment  of  a
   wage data clearinghouse
 
   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 section 45 to read
 as follows:
   § 45. WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE. 1. THE COMMISSIONER, SUBJECT TO  AVAIL-
 ABLE  APPROPRIATIONS AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCA-
 TION AND THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD, SHALL  ESTABLISH  A  WAGE
 DATA CLEARINGHOUSE.  THE PURPOSE OF THE WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE SHALL BE
 TO USE EXISTING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION FIVE
 HUNDRED  THIRTY-SEVEN  OF THIS CHAPTER AND OTHER AVAILABLE LABOR, EDUCA-
 TION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DATA TO EVALUATE THE LONG-TERM EFFECTIVE-
 NESS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION  PROGRAMS  AND  TO  IDENTIFY
 GAPS  IN THE AVAILABILITY OF EXISTING AND PROPOSED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
 TRAINING TO MEET EMPLOYMENT NEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE CLEARINGHOUSE  SHALL
 CONDUCT  ANY  OTHER RESEARCH IT IDENTIFIES AS CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASING
 THE ATTAINMENT OF LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT OF RESIDENTS OF THIS STATE, ESPE-
 CIALLY THOSE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED.
   2. THE WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE SHALL BE ADMINISTERED  BY  AN  ACADEMIC
 INSTITUTION  IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITH PROVEN EXPERTISE IN ANALYZING
 LABOR DATA AND SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONSULTATION
 WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE WORK-
 FORCE INVESTMENT BOARD, THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PROCESS.  CRITE-
 RIA  SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE DEMONSTRATED ABILITY OF
 THE CHOSEN  INSTITUTION  TO  ANALYZE  UNEMPLOYMENT  INSURANCE  AND  WAGE
 REPORTING DATA AND TO LEVERAGE AND ATTRACT FEDERAL FUNDS AND NON-GOVERN-
 MENTAL  FUNDS.    THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO A
 SELECTED ACADEMIC INSTITUTION FOR OPERATING A WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE OF
 UP TO SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND  DOLLARS,  SUBJECT  TO  APPROPRIATION.    ANY
 UNUSED ALLOCATION MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEAR.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05939-03-6
              

 S. 9141                             2
 
   3.  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE THE WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE WITH ALL
 STATE AND FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND WAGE AND EMPLOYMENT RELATED
 DATA IT HAS AVAILABLE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO UNEMPLOYMENT  INSUR-
 ANCE  DATA  AS  DESCRIBED  IN  SECTION FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN OF THIS
 CHAPTER.  ALL  DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN SECTION FIVE HUNDRED
 THIRTY-SEVEN OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL APPLY TO ALL WAGE DATA  CLEARINGHOUSE
 EMPLOYEES WORKING WITH THE DATA.
   4. A STATEWIDE WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE ADVISORY BOARD IS HEREBY ESTAB-
 LISHED  FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING STATEWIDE OBJECTIVES AND THE WAGE
 DATA CLEARINGHOUSE'S RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PRIORITIES AFTER  CONSULTA-
 TION  WITH  THE  DIRECTOR  OF THE WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE.  THE ADVISORY
 BOARD SHALL APPOINT A DIRECTOR WITH EXPERTISE IN LARGE DATA SYSTEMS  AND
 DATA  SECURITY  WITH  PREFERENCE GIVEN TO A CANDIDATE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE
 WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SUCH DIRECTOR SHALL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL SALARY
 WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED.  (A) THE ADVISORY BOARD  SHALL  CONSIST  OF
 TWELVE MEMBERS, INCLUDING: THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
 YORK,  OR  SUCH  CHANCELLOR'S  DESIGNEE;  THE  COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE
 EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, OR SUCH COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE; THE  COMMISSIONER
 OF  THE  STATE  DEPARTMENT  OF  LABOR, OR THE COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE; A
 REPRESENTATIVE OF SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS, APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR;
 A REPRESENTATIVE OF A DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS, APPOINTED  BY
 THE  GOVERNOR;  A REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES, APPOINTED BY THE
 GOVERNOR; AND, SIX MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING TWO APPOINTED BY THE
 SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, ONE APPOINTED BY THE  MINORITY  LEADER  OF  THE
 ASSEMBLY,  TWO APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND
 ONE APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE. THE  PUBLIC  MEMBERS
 OF  THE  ADVISORY  BOARD  SHALL HAVE EXPERTISE IN LARGE DATA SYSTEMS AND
 DATA SECURITY, WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAMS,  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,
 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND/OR ORGANIZED LABOR. (B) THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVI-
 SORY  BOARD  SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES, BUT SHALL
 BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE  PERFORM-
 ANCE  OF  THEIR DUTIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL
 OF THE DEPARTMENT. (C) ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS WHO REPRESENT STATE  AGEN-
 CIES SHALL BE APPOINTED FOR TERMS OF THREE YEARS, AND MEMBERS WHO REPRE-
 SENT  LOCAL  GOVERNMENTS  SHALL  SERVE  TERMS OF TWO YEARS AND ALL OTHER
 MEMBERS SHALL SERVE TERMS OF FOUR YEARS. VACANCIES SHALL  BE  FILLED  IN
 THE  SAME MANNER AS ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEX-
 PIRED TERM. (D) ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS  SHALL  EACH  BE  GRANTED  VOTING
 RIGHTS  AND  WILL TOGETHER ELECT A CHAIR WHOSE DESIGNATION SHALL BE MADE
 BIANNUALLY. (E) THE ADVISORY BOARD SHALL MEET AT SUCH TIMES  AND  PLACES
 AS  MAY  BE  DETERMINED BY ITS CHAIR. THE ADVISORY BOARD SHALL MEET AT A
 MINIMUM OF SIX TIMES IN THE FIRST YEAR AND A MINIMUM OF THREE TIMES  PER
 YEAR  THEREAFTER.  ALL  MEETINGS SHALL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC PURSUANT TO
 ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW. A MAJORITY OF THE  MEMBERS  OF
 SUCH  COUNCIL SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS.
 (F) AFTER CONSULTATION WITH  THE  DIRECTOR,  THE  ADVISORY  BOARD  SHALL
 DISCUSS AND VOTE ON RESEARCH PRIORITIES AND TOPICS FOR THE CLEARINGHOUSE
 THAT  DO  NOT DUPLICATE ANY RESEARCH OR STATISTICS THE DEPARTMENT UNDER-
 TAKES AND THAT FOCUS ON THE NEED OF THE USERS OF THE ANALYSIS, WHICH ARE
 STATE AND LOCAL POLICY MAKERS, EDUCATIONAL ENTITIES, WORKFORCE  DEVELOP-
 MENT PROVIDERS, BUSINESSES, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATORS.
   5.  THE  WAGE DATA CLEARINGHOUSE SHALL USE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA
 AS DESCRIBED IN  SECTION  FIVE  HUNDRED  THIRTY-SEVEN  OF  THIS  CHAPTER
 PROVIDED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  AND  ANY  OTHER  DATA SETS INCLUDING DATA
 PROVIDED BY STATE, FEDERAL OR LOCAL AGENCIES IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE.   THE
 CLEARINGHOUSE  SHALL KEEP PRIVATE AND SAFEGUARD ANY PERSONALLY IDENTIFI-
 S. 9141                             3
 
 ABLE INFORMATION IT OBTAINS AND SHALL NOT RELEASE  SUCH  INFORMATION  TO
 ANY  OTHER  PARTY,  AND  SHALL  USE  ANY  DATA IT OBTAINS SOLELY FOR THE
 PURPOSE OF FURTHERING THE  EFFECTIVENESS  AND  EFFICIENCY  OF  WORKFORCE
 DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.
   6.  THE  WAGE  DATA CLEARINGHOUSE SHALL RELEASE REPORTS AND AGGREGATED
 DATA TO THE DEPARTMENT,  WHICH  SHALL  BE  POSTED  ON  THE  DEPARTMENT'S
 WEBSITE AS WELL AS ON ANY WEBSITE MAINTAINED BY THE CLEARINGHOUSE.
   7.  ONE  YEAR  AFTER  SELECTION  OF THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION THAT WILL
 SERVE AS THE CLEARINGHOUSE, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT TO THE  DIRECTOR
 OF  THE  BUDGET, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR OF
 THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, THE CHAIRS OF SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
 LABOR COMMITTEES, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY,  AND  THE  PRESIDENT  PRO
 TEMPORE  OF  THE  SENATE,  AN EVALUATION OF THIS PROGRAM PREPARED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT. SUCH EVALUATION SHALL BE SUBMITTED EVERY FOUR  YEARS  THERE-
 AFTER.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.