Bill Text: NY A08446 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the commission on the future of work within the department of labor to research and understand the impact of technology on workers, employers, and the economy of the state; requires such commission to submit a report along with any recommendations for legislative action to the governor and the legislature.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to labor [A08446 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A08446-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8446

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      July 8, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. STERN -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Labor

        AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to establishing  the  commis-
          sion  on  the  future  of  work;  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 legislature finds and declares all of the following:
     2    (a)  New  York  state  is committed to developing a plan to become the
     3  most competitive, durable, equitable  and  sustainable  economy  in  the
     4  world,  where  technology  innovation  shall  strengthen, not erode, the
     5  middle class.
     6    (b) Technology, when put to work for the benefit of human society, has
     7  fueled progress throughout history, unlocking the growth of high-quality
     8  goods and services  coupled  with  overall  price  reductions,  dramatic
     9  reductions  in poverty, disease, and famine, as well as leaps in science
    10  and the arts.
    11    (c) Exponential growth in technology innovation, including  automation
    12  and  artificial intelligence, as well as broader economic trends of wage
    13  stagnation, declining workforce participation, rising income inequality,
    14  and growth in part-time, lower-wage  jobs,  compel  New  York  state  to
    15  update  its  planning around education, employment, and the economy as a
    16  whole to better understand, anticipate, and shape the future of work  in
    17  the short and long term.
    18    (d)  The  commission on the future of work is necessary to prepare New
    19  York state residents for the future of work and to  ensure  advancements
    20  in  technology  serve  the  construction  of  a durable middle class and
    21  sustainable economy.
    22    § 2. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 211-b to read as
    23  follows:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13333-01-9
        A. 8446                             2

     1    § 211-b. The commission on the future of work. 1. This  section  shall
     2  be known and may be cited as the "New York state future of work act".
     3    2. a. There is hereby established within the department the commission
     4  on the future of work.
     5    b.  Members  of the commission shall be individuals with knowledge of,
     6  and expertise in, work, workforce  development,  labor,  technology,  or
     7  robotics or artificial intelligence, whether by experience or training.
     8    c.  The  commission  shall consist of eight members to be appointed as
     9  follows:
    10    (i) four members appointed by the governor,  including  at  least  one
    11  representative from organized labor and one from the private sector;
    12    (ii) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
    13    (iii) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
    14    (iv) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and
    15    (v) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
    16    3. The commission on the future of work shall:
    17    a.  convene  a  public  process  to gather input and to understand the
    18  economic, social, workplace and technological landscape from the public,
    19  academics, and stakeholders;
    20    b. commission research to understand the impact of technology on work-
    21  ers, employers, and the economy of the state;
    22    c. advise the governor, the legislature, and state  agencies,  depart-
    23  ments,  and  commissions  on  the impact of technology and automation on
    24  workers, the workplace and state workforce, the state  budget,  economy,
    25  safety net, and other areas related to the public good; and
    26    d.  develop recommendations on a policy framework to manage the devel-
    27  opment, deployment, regulation, taxation, and fair distribution  of  the
    28  benefits of technology used in the workplace that advances the interests
    29  of workers and the public.
    30    4. On or before January first, two thousand twenty-one, the commission
    31  shall  make  a report of its findings, including any recommendations for
    32  legislative action as it may  deem  necessary  and  appropriate  to  the
    33  governor and the legislature.
    34    §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire January
    35  1, 2021 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall  be  deemed
    36  repealed.