Bill Text: NY S02924 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the Marshall plan for moms interagency task force to examine, issue proposals and make recommendations on multiple policy areas to address the disproportionate burden mothers have weathered from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-04-04 - referred to governmental operations [S02924 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-S02924-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2924 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 25, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor AN ACT to establish the Marshall plan for moms interagency task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there- of The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The Legislature finds that any relief 2 and long-term recovery from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandem- 3 ic must recognize the disproportionate burden mothers have weathered. 4 Women, especially mothers, have faced the brunt of the economic chal- 5 lenges of the pandemic due to social barriers and policy failures that 6 have been compounded by enduring racism and gender injustices, including 7 the lack of care infrastructure, lack of family-supportive workplaces, 8 and gender and racial pay inequities. 9 Women continue to face unjust gender and racial wage gaps, and are 10 overrepresented in low-wage jobs, despite their gains in workforce 11 participation. Asian-American and Pacific Islander women, particularly 12 Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander women, get paid as little as $.50 13 for every dollar a White man makes. Black women make only $0.63 for 14 every dollar a White man makes, and as a result may lose $946,000 in 15 their lifetimes. Latina women earn $0.55 for every dollar earned by a 16 White man, and as a result may lose over $1,100,000 in wages over the 17 course of a 40-year career. Native American women are paid $0.60 for 18 every dollar a White man makes and are murdered at 10 times the rate of 19 the national average, even though financial independence and security 20 can increase chances of escaping violence for these women. Women's wages 21 are key to their families' economic security and survival. Across the 22 country, mothers are breadwinners in almost half of families with chil- 23 dren under 18, even though mothers face a greater pay gap than women as 24 a whole. Even prior to the pandemic, working mothers faced continued EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07517-01-3S. 2924 2 1 biases and stigmas in the workplace that caregiving responsibilities 2 will negatively impact their work performance. 3 Women have suffered the majority of pandemic-related job losses. 4 Since February 2020, women have lost over 5,400,000 net jobs and account 5 for 55% of overall net job loss since the beginning of the crisis. Women 6 of color are experiencing higher rates of job loss than White women. 7 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics January 2021 unemployment 8 data, the jobless rate for Black women and Latina women aged 20 and over 9 is over 60% higher than their White counterparts. Asian Americans 10 recorded the highest jobless rates among women in the last 6 months of 11 2020, even though before the pandemic their average unemployment rate 12 was the lowest. 13 Women face a disproportionate burden of caregiving responsibilities. 14 Mothers are three times more likely than fathers to be responsible for 15 most of the caregiving and household work. Single mothers are more 16 likely than other parents to take care of all housework and childcare 17 responsibilities in their household, and are more likely than other 18 mothers to experience financial insecurity. 19 Throughout the pandemic, women of color have played integral roles on 20 the frontlines as essential workers, including as nursing assistants, 21 home health aides, and child care educators. 22 The unprecedented burdens of child care, work, and remote learning 23 have strained mental and emotional health for mothers. These points of 24 stressor are compounded by financial instability, racial injustice, 25 being a single parent, having children with special needs, and many 26 other factors. 27 § 2. 1. There is hereby established an interagency task force hereby 28 known as the Marshall plan for moms intergency task force which shall 29 consist of the following members or their designees: (a) the commission- 30 er of the department of labor, who shall serve as chair; (b) the commis- 31 sioner of the department of social services; (c) the chair of the work- 32 ers' compensation board; (d) the commissioner of the department of 33 health; (e) the director of the division of human rights; (f) two 34 members, who shall be appointed by the governor, one upon the recommen- 35 dation of the New York State American Federation of Labor and Congress 36 of Industrial Organizations and one upon the recommendation of the New 37 York State Business Council; (g) one member, who shall be appointed by 38 the speaker of the assembly; and (h) one member, who shall be appointed 39 by the temporary president of the senate. 40 2. The interagency task force shall meet as often as is necessary, but 41 no less than once per month and where otherwise appropriate to fulfill- 42 ing its duties under this chapter. The members of the commission shall 43 serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for 44 all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 45 § 3. The Marshall plan for moms interagency task force shall examine 46 the following policy areas and issue proposals and recommendations ther- 47 eon: 48 1. The utilization of recurring payments or financial assistance to 49 mothers and other caregivers and any equivalent policies under all 50 current state and federal programs. 51 2. The current utilization rates and impacts of the state paid family 52 leave program as well as specific impacts of the program on mothers and 53 other caregivers. 54 3. Current state policy impacting the childcare industry and the 55 access or availability of child care in all areas of the state.S. 2924 3 1 4. The availability and access to unemployment for New Yorkers who 2 have left a job or worked reduced hours in order to take on caregiving 3 responsibilities. 4 5. The impact of any new policies imposed by the federal government or 5 by state or local officials during the COVID-19 pandemic that have 6 impacted mothers and other caregivers in the workforce. 7 6. The availability and access to mental health support for mothers 8 and other caregivers, and the impact of access or availability to mental 9 health support on such families. 10 7. The access and availability of all such programs for immigrant 11 families, and the impact of inaccessibility or unavailability of any 12 such programs on immigrant families and the state. 13 8. Any other areas the task force deems relevant in the review of 14 policies that may impact mothers and other caregivers. 15 § 4. Within one year of the effective date of this act, in carrying 16 out its functions, the task force shall hold five public hearings around 17 the state to foster discussions among, and conduct formal public hear- 18 ings with requisite public notice to solicit input and recommendations 19 from statewide and regional stakeholder interests. The task force shall 20 also accept public input in writing. The task force may utilize remote 21 access such as web conferencing in order to comply with the provisions 22 of this section. 23 § 5. Within two years of the effective date of this act the task force 24 shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor, the 25 temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly, and 26 shall publicize its findings on a website provided by the department of 27 labor. 28 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 29 deemed repealed 3 years after such date.
